Colonel Jonathan B. Cato is the Deputy Commander, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. He is responsible for conducting Undergraduate and Graduate Pilot Training for U.S. Air Force and allied officers. The wing is composed of 243 aircraft that fly more than 55,000 sorties and 78,000 hours annually, training over 400 pilots and combat system operators. He is responsible for day-to-day operations of base support functions and mission activities for the Wing’s nearly 3,000 military, civilian, and contract Airmen. Colonel Cato also manages an operations and maintenance budget of approximately $131 million and capital assets exceeding $2.3 billion. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Cato was the United States Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii. In this capacity, he provided advice and assistance to the USINDOPACOM and USTRANSCOM Commanders and staff on joint deployment and distribution issues associated with Pacific operations, plans, exercises, policies, and procedures.
Colonel Cato earned his commission with Distinguished Graduate honors from the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2003, Detachment 790, Tennessee State University. He is a command pilot with more than 1,000 combat/combat support flight hours, 4,200 total hours, and an instructor pilot in the T-1A, KC-10A, and C-130J aircraft.
Colonel Cato has served in numerous supervisory, leadership, and staff positions to include Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Director of Staff and Senior Executive Officer, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Colonel Cato has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, UNIFIED RESPONSE, ODYSSEY DAWN, UNIFIED PROTECTOR, ATLANTIC RESOLVE, and NEW NORMAL.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical/Industrial Tech, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Master of Science in Aerospace Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical Univ, Daytona Beach, FL
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL, by correspondence
2016 Joint Mobility Fellowship, Scott AFB, IL
2020 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 2003-2003, Recruiting Officer, Detachment 790 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
2. 2003-2004, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
3. 2004-2004, Student, Pilot Instructor Course, Randolph AFB, TX
4. 2004-2008, T-1A Instructor Pilot, Squadron Executive Officer, 32 FTS, Vance AFB, OK
5. 2008-2008, Student, KC-10 Aircraft Commander Course, 60 OSS, Travis AFB, CA
6. 2008-2009, KC-10 Aircraft Commander, Chief Scheduler, 6 ARS, Travis AFB, CA
7. 2009-2010, KC-10 FTU Instructor Pilot, Executive Officer, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, CA
8. 2010-2011, KC-10 Evaluator Pilot, Flight Commander, 6 ARS, Travis AFB, CA
9. 2011-2012, Student, C-130J Pilot Initial Qualification, 714 TRS/48 AS, Little Rock AFB, AR
10. 2012-2013, C-130J Pilot, Chief of Readiness, 37 AS, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. 2013-2014, C-130J Aircraft Commander, Asst. Operations Officer, 37 AS, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. 2014-2015, C-130J Instructor Pilot, Executive Officer, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
13. 2015-2016, Joint Mobility Fellowship, Air Force Fellows, Scott AFB, IL
14. 2016-2017, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL
15. 2017-2019, Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
16. 2019-2020, Student, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
17. 2020-2023, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii
18. 2023-present, Vice Commander, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, MS
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. 2020-2023, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 4,200 including 694 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1A, KC-10A, C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan 2003
First Lieutenant Jan 2005
Captain Jan 2007
Major Dec 2012
Lieutenant Colonel Dec 2016
Colonel June 2020
(Current as of June 2023)