COLONEL JONATHAN D. SAAS
Col. Jonathan Saas is the Director of Intelligence for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. In this role, he is responsible for leading over 130 analysts, engineers, security professionals, and information technology personnel at six geographically separated locations providing intelligence support to acquisition, security, and classified networks support to develop, field, and sustain decisive war-winning capabilities for the U.S. Air Force.
Prior to his current role, Col Saas served as the Chief of the Future Capabilities Division for the Joint Staff Director of Intelligence (JS/J2) where he led eleven portfolios helping influence $101 billion dollars in annual Department of Defense and national Intelligence Community investments in critical capabilities. Col Saas previously attended the National War College where he focused on China and grand strategy. He is also a graduate of the Air Force’s School of Advanced and Space Studies. His thesis, titled "Sharpening the Competitive Edge", compared how the Air Force and U.S. industry utilize data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence. The work
offered strategic recommendations to improve Air Force competitive outcomes and included an annex examining China's comprehensive national approach to artificial intelligence.
Col Saas commissioned through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2006. He is a career intelligence officer and has served around the world including in the U.S., Middle East, Africa, Central America, and the Pacific.
EDUCATION:
2006 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
2007 Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX 2007 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2007 Air Force Special Operations Command Intelligence Formal Training Unit, Hurlburt Field, FL 2011 Distributed Common Ground Station Formal Training Unit, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX 2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2013 Master of Intelligence Studies with Honors, American Military University, WV 2016 Cyber Operations Fundamentals Course, via correspondence
2017 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME-II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA 2017 Air Command and Staff College, via correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2019 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, AL 2022 Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jun 06 - Mar 07, Student, Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX
2. Apr 07 - Nov 10, Chief of Intelligence, 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. Nov 10 - Jul 11, Deputy Chief of Intelligence Training, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. Jul 11 - Oct 11, Flight Commander, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations Flight Commander, 303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
4. Oct 11 - Jul 12, Flight Commander, Mission Management Flight, 303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. Jul 12 - Mar 15, Assistant Director of Operations, 13th Intelligence Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, CA
6. Mar 15 - Jul 15, Executive Officer, 548th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Beale Air Force Base, CA
7. Jul 15 - Mar 17, Operations Officer, Plans and Exercises Division, National Security Agency, Fort George
G. Meade, MD
8. Mar 17 - Jul 17, Deputy Chief, PLEX Division, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, MD
9. Jul 17 - Jun 18, Air Force Strategic Policy Fellow, Washington D.C. with rotations as a member of the OUSD-I Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team and as a Special Advisor to the U.S. Department of State’s Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
10. Jun 18 - Jun 19, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
11. Jun 19 - Jun 20, Chief, Future Environments Division, Air Education and Training Command Headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Air Force Base, TX
12. Jul 20 - Jul 22, Commander, 21st Intelligence Squadron, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
13. Jul 22 - Jun 23, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
14. Jun 23 - Chief, Future Capabilities Division, Joint Staff J2 Deputy Directorate for Force Modernization, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. Jul 25 - Present, Director of Intelligence, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jul 15 - Jul 17, Operations Officer and Deputy Chief, Plans and Exercises Division, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, MD
2. Jun 23 - Jun 25, Chief, Future Capabilities Division, Joint Staff J2 Deputy Directorate for Force Modernization, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star device
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant 31 May 06
First Lieutenant 31 May 08
Captain 31 May 10
Major 1 Oct 16
Lieutenant Colonel 1 Oct 19
Colonel 1 Jun 25
(Current as of: Jul 25)
Prior to his current role, Col Saas served as the Chief of the Future Capabilities Division for the Joint Staff Director of Intelligence (JS/J2) where he led eleven portfolios helping influence $101 billion dollars in annual Department of Defense and national Intelligence Community investments in critical capabilities. Col Saas previously attended the National War College where he focused on China and grand strategy. He is also a graduate of the Air Force’s School of Advanced and Space Studies. His thesis, titled "Sharpening the Competitive Edge", compared how the Air Force and U.S. industry utilize data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence. The work
offered strategic recommendations to improve Air Force competitive outcomes and included an annex examining China's comprehensive national approach to artificial intelligence.
Col Saas commissioned through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2006. He is a career intelligence officer and has served around the world including in the U.S., Middle East, Africa, Central America, and the Pacific.
EDUCATION:
2006 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
2007 Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX 2007 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2007 Air Force Special Operations Command Intelligence Formal Training Unit, Hurlburt Field, FL 2011 Distributed Common Ground Station Formal Training Unit, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX 2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2013 Master of Intelligence Studies with Honors, American Military University, WV 2016 Cyber Operations Fundamentals Course, via correspondence
2017 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME-II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA 2017 Air Command and Staff College, via correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2019 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, AL 2022 Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jun 06 - Mar 07, Student, Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX
2. Apr 07 - Nov 10, Chief of Intelligence, 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. Nov 10 - Jul 11, Deputy Chief of Intelligence Training, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. Jul 11 - Oct 11, Flight Commander, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations Flight Commander, 303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
4. Oct 11 - Jul 12, Flight Commander, Mission Management Flight, 303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. Jul 12 - Mar 15, Assistant Director of Operations, 13th Intelligence Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, CA
6. Mar 15 - Jul 15, Executive Officer, 548th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Beale Air Force Base, CA
7. Jul 15 - Mar 17, Operations Officer, Plans and Exercises Division, National Security Agency, Fort George
G. Meade, MD
8. Mar 17 - Jul 17, Deputy Chief, PLEX Division, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, MD
9. Jul 17 - Jun 18, Air Force Strategic Policy Fellow, Washington D.C. with rotations as a member of the OUSD-I Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team and as a Special Advisor to the U.S. Department of State’s Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
10. Jun 18 - Jun 19, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
11. Jun 19 - Jun 20, Chief, Future Environments Division, Air Education and Training Command Headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Air Force Base, TX
12. Jul 20 - Jul 22, Commander, 21st Intelligence Squadron, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
13. Jul 22 - Jun 23, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
14. Jun 23 - Chief, Future Capabilities Division, Joint Staff J2 Deputy Directorate for Force Modernization, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. Jul 25 - Present, Director of Intelligence, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jul 15 - Jul 17, Operations Officer and Deputy Chief, Plans and Exercises Division, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, MD
2. Jun 23 - Jun 25, Chief, Future Capabilities Division, Joint Staff J2 Deputy Directorate for Force Modernization, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star device
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant 31 May 06
First Lieutenant 31 May 08
Captain 31 May 10
Major 1 Oct 16
Lieutenant Colonel 1 Oct 19
Colonel 1 Jun 25
(Current as of: Jul 25)
