Col. Jonathan N. Watson is the Deputy Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 505th CCW is the Air Force's premier wing dedicated to operational-level command and control, driving joint and coalition combat readiness across the global enterprise. He assists the Commander in preparing warfighters through initial and advanced training, the execution of major joint and coalition exercises, and the development of next-generation tactics. Additionally, he guides the operational-level experimentation and integration required to project multi-domain power and achieve decision advantage across the global battlespace. The 505th CCW is comprised of the 505th Test and Training Group at Hurlburt Field, Fla., 505th Combat Training Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and Detachment 1, 505th CCW at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Col. Watson commissioned in May 2002 through the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Dakota State University. After completing Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training in 2003, he held qualifications as an Air Weapons Officer, Senior Director, and Mission Crew Commander for both the Control and Reporting Center and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System platforms. He has served as an instructor and evaluator in all qualifications. His operational background includes leading deployed crews in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, Unified Protector, and counter-drug operations for Joint Interagency Task Force-South.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and the Joint Advanced Warfighting School. He holds master's degrees in joint campaign planning and strategy from the National Defense University and military operational arts and sciences from Air University. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Chief of the Assessor Authority Training and Exercise Support Division within the Directorate of Operations, at Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Management Information Systems, Dakota State University, Madison, S.D.
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Science, Sociology, University of Oklahoma, Norman
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Master of Science, Military Operational Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Master of Science, Campaign Planning and Strategy, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Suffolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002-December 2003, Student, Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
2. December 2003-March 2006, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 729th Air Control Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
3. March 2006-February 2007, Flight Commander, 729th ACS, Hill AFB, Utah
4. February 2007-January 2008, E-3 Air Weapons Officer, 964th Airborne ACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
5. January 2008-June 2008, Student, Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 2008-June 2011, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 960th AACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
7. June 2011-June 2013, U.S. Air Force Weapons School Instructor and 561st Joint Tactics Squadron Command and Control Subject Matter Expert, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. July 2013-July 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2014-October 2016, Chief, Air Combat Command Special Technical Operations, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
10. October 2016-May 2017, Chief of Air Control Group Weapons and Tactics, 752d Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
11. May 2017-June 2018, Director of Operations, 752d OSS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
12. June 2018-June 2019, Commander, 727th Expeditionary ACS, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
13. June 2019-June 2020, Deputy Commander, 552d Air Control Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
14. June 2020-June 2021, Chief, C2 Future Systems Branch, NORAD Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
15. June 2021-June 2022, Deputy Chief, Information Dominance Division, NORAD, Peterson SFB, Colo.
16. June 2022-June 2023, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Suffolk, Va.
17. June 2023-April 2024, Command Center Director, Headquarters NORAD and United States Northern Command, Joint Operations Center, Peterson SFB, Colo.
18. June 2024-June 2026, Chief, Assessor Authority Training and Exercise Support Division, HQ N&NC, Peterson SFB, Colo.
19. June 2026-present, Deputy Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2020-June 2021, C2 Future Systems Branch, NORAD, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2021-June 2022, Deputy Chief, IDD, HQ N&NC, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a lieutenant colonel
3. June 2023-April 2024, Command Center Director, HQ N&NC JOC, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a colonel
4. June 2024-present, Chief, A/A Training and Exercise Support Division, HQ N&NC, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Air Battle Manager
Flight hours: More than 1,000
Aircraft flown: Control and Reporting Center (V3, V5, TYQ-23A), E-3 B/C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
(Current as of July 2026)