John P. Jumper

Gen. John P. Jumper United States Air Force
General John P. Jumper
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1966–2005
Rank	General
Commands	430th Tactical Fighter Squadron 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing 57th Fighter Weapons Wing 9th Air Force U.S. Central Command Air Forces U.S. Air Forces in Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe Headquarters ACC Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Battles / wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Army Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (3) Defense Distinguished Service Medal Air Medal (17) Legion of Honor (France)

General John P. Jumper is a United States Air Force officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael Moseley.

Background

Jumper was born in Paris, Texas. He earned his commission as a distinguished graduate of Virginia Military Institute's ROTC program in 1966. He has commanded a fighter squadron, two fighter wings, a numbered Air Force, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Prior to becoming Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the general served as Commander of Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base.

Jumper has also served at the Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, as the Senior Military Assistant to two secretaries of defense, and as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Roles and Missions. A command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, principally in fighter aircraft, Jumper served two tours in Southeast Asia, accumulating more than 1,400 combat hours.

Jumper retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005.

Education

1. 1966 Bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington
2. 1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
3. 1978 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
4. 1979 Master of business administration degree, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, California
5. 1982 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Assignments

1. June 1966 – July 1967, student pilot, 3550th Student Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
2. July 1967 – September 1967, C-7 upgrade training, Sewart AFB, Tennessee
3. October 1967 – October 1968, C-7 pilot, 459th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam
4. November 1968 – July 1969, F-4 upgrade training, 431st Tactical Fighter Squadron, George AFB, California
5. July 1969 – May 1970, instructor pilot, weapons officer and fast forward air controller, 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
6. June 1970 – July 1974, instructor pilot, flight examiner and standardization and evaluation chief, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Bentwaters, England
7. July 1974 – August 1977, flight instructor, later, flight commander, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
8. August 1977 – June 1978, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
9. June 1978 – August 1981, Staff Officer for Operations and Readiness, Tactical Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. August 1981 – July 1982, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1982 – February 1983, Chief of Safety, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada
12. March 1983 – July 1983, Commander, 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada
13. July 1983 – August 1986, Special Assistant and Executive Officer to the Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
14. August 1986 – February 1988, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
15. February 1988 – May 1990, Commander, 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada
16. June 1990 – April 1992, Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
17. May 1992 – February 1994, Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
18. February 1994 – July 1994, Special Assistant to the Air Force Chief of Staff for Roles and Missions, Washington, D.C.
19. August 1994 – June 1996, Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
20. June 1996 – November 1997, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
21. December 1997 – February 2000, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
22. February 2000 – September 2001, Commander, Headquarters ACC, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
23. September 2001 – September 2005, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

Popular Culture

• Appeared as himself in the Stargate SG-1 episode Lost City: Part 2.

Flight information

• Rating: Command pilot
• Flight hours: More than 5,000
• Aircraft flown: C-7, C-17, C-20, C-37, T-37, T-38, F-4, F-15, F-16, F-22A and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Major awards and decorations

• Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Army Distinguished Service Medal
• Navy Distinguished Service Medal
• Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
• Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters
• Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Air Medal with 17 oak leaf clusters
• Vietnam Service Medal with five bronze service stars
• Foreign Awards
  • Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal(South Vietnam)
  • Legion of Honor (France)
• Other Awards
  • 2000 Air Force Order of the Sword, U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE press release)

Effective dates of promotion

1. Second Lieutenant June 12, 1966
2. First Lieutenant December 12, 1967
3. Captain June 12, 1969
4. Major January 1, 1978
5. Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 1980
6. Colonel Oct. 1, 1985
7. Brigadier General August 1, 1989
8. Major General February 1, 1992
9. Lieutenant General September 1, 1994
10. General November 17, 1997

Thunderbirds "Thundervision" Scandal

Members of the United States Air Force were under investigation by the FBI for having awarded a $50 million dollar contract for audio-visual presentation services to Strategic Message Solutions of Plymouth Meeting, Pa. [1][2][3] The contract involved the "Thundervision" project, meant to provide oversized video screens and perhaps content services during air shows that featured the Air Force Thunderbirds. The investigation revolves around possible involvement of Jumper, and then Chief of Staff of the Air Force T. Michael Moseley. It is suggested that the contract price was inflated, because a friend of the two generals, Air Force General (ret.) Hal Hornburg[4], was associated with Strategic Message Solutions. Two companies involved in the bidding process protested award of the contract, one having offered comparable services for half as much. The Air Force has cancelled the contract. [5]

References

USAF Bio of John P. Jumper

External links

• Biography of General Jumper, USAF, September 2005.
• Biography of General Jumper, U.S. Department of Defense, February 2005.
• Interview with General Jumper: Air Force Transformation, Military Aerospace Technology, May 1, 2002.
• First-year cadet criticizes USAF Chief of Staff's personnel decisions, Snopes, March 26, 2003.
• Speech at the Air Force Association convention, September 16, 2003.
• Speech at the Air Force Association symposium, February 12, 2004.