Jason R. Schott
Colonel, U.S. Air Force

Jason R. Schott was born and raised in Gackle, ND.

Schott was a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with the class of 1993 and, at graduation, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. At the Academy, he was Cadet Vice Wing Commander, top Astronautical Engineering graduate, and was awarded a C.S. Draper Fellowship for follow-on studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After graduating from MIT with a Master's Degree in Controls Engineering, he attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, MS. He was then qualified in the F-15E Strike Eagle at Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC, and assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron "Dicemen" at Elmendorf AFB, AK.

While in Alaska in the late 1990's, he deployed twice to the Republic of Korea. He was also the initial cadre to establish the Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Course at Moody AFB, GA, and initial operating capability of the new T-38C.

Schott then completed USAF Test Pilot School with class 03A and briefly served as an F-16 test pilot in the 416th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, CA, before moving to Alberta, Canada, as the USAF Exchange Officer to the Aerospace Engineering & Test Establishment (AETE) at CFB Cold Lake. At AETE he executed developmental tests in the CF-18, to include propulsion, structural loads, weapons, sensors, night vision equipment and avionics integration. Schott then attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL, earning a Master's Degree in Military Studies.

He has previously been assigned to the USAF Test Pilot School as an F-16 Instructor Pilot and T-38 evaluator and instructor pilot. He was the Director of Operations (DO), USAF Test Pilot School, where he managed 75 staff, student and contractor aircrew members in the execution of 4,000 flying-hours in 25 different aircraft types. Later, he was Commander, 445th Flight Test Squadron, at Edwards AFB, CA.

Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Schott was Commander of Detachment 2, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Eglin Air Force Base, FL. AFOTEC’s Detachment 2 is a group-equivalent unit of 115 personnel who direct and evaluate operational test and evaluation on more than 30 U.S. Air Force and joint weapon systems. Col Schott led the planning, coordination, and execution of operational test and evaluation efforts for major air armament, command and control, electronic warfare, and mission planning programs for the Department of Defense.

In his current assignment, Col Schott is the Vice Commander, 412th Test Wing, Air Force Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, CA. He leads a wing of 7,100 personnel in the developmental test and evaluation of F-35, F-22, F-16, B-1, B-2, B-52, C-17, C-130, KC-135, Global Hawk, joint Remotely Piloted Aircraft and emerging technologies.

Education

● 1993 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
● 1995 Master’s degree in Control Systems Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
● 2000 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
● 2007 Master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
● 2013 Master’s degree in National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

Assignments Summary

● August 1993 – June 1995, student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and technology intern, C.S. Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, MA
● July 1995 – August 1996, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MA
● August 1996 – September 1996, student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Training, 49th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, MS
● October 1996 – May 1997, student, F-15E Replacement Training Unit, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour- Johnson AFB, NC
● June 1997 – April 2000, F-15E pilot and Chief of Plans, 90th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, AK
● May 2000 – September 2000, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals AT-38 instructor pilot, 435th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, TX
● October 2000 – November 2002, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals T-38C instructor pilot, 49th Flying Training Squadron and Chief of Training, 479th Flying Training Group, Moody AFB, GA
● December 2002 – May 2004, student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and F-16 developmental test pilot, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, CA
● June 2004 – December 2006, Chief Fighter Test Pilot, Aerospace and Engineering Test Establishment, Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
● December 2006 – December 2007, student, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
● December 2007 – July 2010, Assistant Director of Operations and Director of Operations, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
● July 2010 – July 2012, Commander, 445th Flight Test Squadron and Director, Test Operations Combined Test Force, Edwards AFB, CA
● July 2012 – June 2013, student, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC
● June 2013 – October 2014, Deputy Commander, 96th Operations Group, Eglin AFB, FL
● October 2014 – July 2015, Assistant to the Commander for Special Projects, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, FL
● July 2015 – June 2016, Commander, Detachment 2, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Eglin AFB, FL
● June 2016 – present, Vice Commander, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, CA

Flight Information

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: Over 2,800
Aircraft flown: Over 30 aircraft types and variants including T-38, F-15E, F-16, F-18, and many others

Medals, Awards and Badges

Meritorious Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Training Ribbon
Command Pilot Badge

Dates of Promotion

Second Lieutenant: 2 June 1993
First Lieutenant: 2 June 1995
Captain: 2 June 1997
Major: 1 August 2003
Lieutenant Colonel: 1 August 2008
Colonel: 1 December 2014

(U.S. Air Force Data Current as of July 2016)