Col. Jessica Nichol is commander of the 28th Mission Support Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. She leads a group of nearly 2,000 military, civilian and contractor professionals in planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing installation services and support to over to 8,500 military and civilian personnel and their families.

Colonel Nichol received her commission in 1994 after completing the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Miami University, Ohio.

Her career spans a broad range of recruiting, training, operational and joint staff assignments. She was the Commander of the 341st Recruiting Squadron in San Antonio, Texas, and the 837th Training Squadron, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Her staff assignments include Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations in Arlington, Virginia, and standing up United States Cyber Command.

A career navigator in both the C-141B Starlifter and C-130E Hercules, she deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Colonel Nichol is a fully qualified Regional Area Strategist for Latin America, and a distinguished graduate of the C-130 Airdrop Qualification training course and the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation course.

Prior to her current assignment, Colonel Nichol was the Executive Officer for the Commander of Air Education and Training Command, JBSA-R, Texas.

EDUCATION

1994  Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Miami University, Ohio

2000  Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2001  Air Mobility Operations Course, Air Mobility Warfare Center, Fort Dix, N.J.

2008  Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Fort Benning, Ga.

2010  Master of Arts in National Security Studies, American Military University

2011  Joint Professional Military Education II, Norfolk Naval Air Station, Va.

2012  Air War College (correspondence)

ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1994 - May 1995, Assistant Regional Director of Admissions, Detachment 560, Manhattan College, N.Y.

2. June 1995 - December 1995, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

3. January 1996 - March 1997, Deputy Combat Crew Commander, 321st Missile Squadron, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo.

4. April 1997 - October 1997, Student, Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, Pensacola NAS, Fla.

5. November 1997 - July 1998, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, Texas

6. August 1998 - February 2003, Wing Executive Officer and Instructor Navigator, C-141, 305th Air Mobility Wing, 305th Operations Group and 6th Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.

7. March 2003 - April 2007, Deputy Chief, Wing Inspections and Readiness, Assistant Director of Operations and Navigator, C-130E, 86th Airlift Wing and 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany

8. May 2007 - May 2008, Student, Intermediate Developmental Education, Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Fort Benning, Ga.

9. June 2008 - May 2010, Operations Officer and Command Duty Officer, Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations, Arlington, Va.

10. June 2010 - June 2011, Deputy Director, Joint Operations Center, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md.

11. July 2011 - June 2013, Commander, 341st Recruiting Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas

12. July 2013 - May 2014, Commander, 837th Training Squadron, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

13. June 2014 - June 2016, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, JBSA-Randolph, Texas

14. June 2016 - Present, Commander, 28th Mission Support Group, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

               MAJOR  AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Aerial Achievement Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one device

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor device

Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one oak leaf cluster

Combat Readiness Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Kosovo Campaign Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal

               EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

               Second   Lieutenant   May 8, 1994

First Lieutenant         June 1, 1996

Captain                     June 1, 1998

Major                         Nov. 1, 2004

Lieutenant Colonel    Oct. 1, 2009

Colonel                      Jan. 1, 2016

(Current as of November 2016)