Col. Jason M. Trew is the Commandant of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. SAASS is a selective one-year graduate school with 17 terminally credentialed faculty members and 45 Air Force, Space Force, Department of Defense and international students. The mission of SAASS is to educate strategists for the Air Force, Space Force and nation.
Col. Trew entered the Air Force in 1999 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Following a one-year assignment as a “Gold Bar” recruiter, he completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and then F-15C initial qualification and mission qualification courses.
Col. Trew has held various operational and training assignments. While assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, he was handpicked to fly combat air patrols over the National Capital Region during times of high alert, including the president’s 2004 State of the Union address.
As an air liaison officer, he was the Combined Air Operations Center representative to the 10th Mountain Division’s Joint Operating Center. He was responsible for planning and executing the close air support air tasking order for Operation Enduring Freedom and personally delivered a decision brief to the commander of Air Force Central Command regarding the transition to the International Assistance Security Force. Col. Trew then returned to the F-15C and led the largest flight in the 33rd Operations Group, which was acknowledged as the best-trained aircrew flight equipment unit in Air Combat Command.
In 2009, he deployed to Grenada to fly the first combat air patrol over the president and other heads of state attending the Summit of Americas. He was also selected to deliver an F-15C capabilities briefing to the country’s prime minister. After graduating from Air Command and Staff College, he was selected to stay at the school as a faculty member and then director of operations. After completing the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, he earned a PhD in the history of technology from Auburn University. Following his doctoral studies, he served as commander for the 30th Student Squadron and then dean at Squadron Officer School as well as the lead for the Think Tank innovation program. His previous assignment was vice commandant, Squadron Officer School.
Col. Trew is a senior pilot with more than 1,200 flying hours in fighter and trainer aircraft.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science degree, Foreign Area Studies and Legal Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy
2000 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Air and Space Operations Center Initial Qualification Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2005 Joint Firepower / Air Liaison Officer Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 United Arab Emirates Air Warfare Center Advanced Tactical Leadership Course, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
2009 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2011 Master of Arts, Humanities, California State University
2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Master of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Doctor of Philosophy, History, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1999 – May 2000, Assistant Regional Director of Admissions, Charleston Southern University, S.C.
2. June 2000 – November 2001, student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. December 2001 – June 2002, student, F-15C Replacement Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. July 2002 – January 2004, pilot and Scheduling Duty Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
5. February 2004 – June 2004, flight lead and Electronic Warfare Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
6. July 2004 – December 2004, flight lead and Chief of Flying Training, 1st Operational Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
7. January 2005 – January 2006, Mobility Flight Commander and Fighter Duty Officer, 712th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood AIN, Texas
8. February 2006 – August 2006, CJTF-76 Fighter Duty Officer, 20th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Center, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
9. September 2006 – June 2007, Assistant Director of Operations and Training Flight Commander, 712th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood AIN, Texas
10. July 2007 – May 2008, flight lead and Chief of Squadron Training, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
11. June 2008 – August 2009, mission commander and Aircrew Flight Equipment Officer, 33rd Operations Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
12. September 2009 – February 2010, student, T-6A Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
13. March 2010 – December 2010, T-6A instructor pilot and Flight Commander, 455th Flying Training Squadron, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
14. January 2011 – June 2011, T-6A evaluator pilot and Chief of Group Standardization and Evaluation, 479th Flying Training Group, NAS Pensacola, Fla
15. July 2011 – June 2012, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
16. July 2012 – June 2014, Director of Operations and Academic Instructor, Department of Strategy and Leadership, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
17. July 2014 – June 2015, student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
18. July 2015 – May 2018, student, PhD (History), Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.
19. May 2018 – October 2019, Commander, 30th Student Squadron, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
20. August 2019 – August 2020, Dean of Academic Affairs, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
21. June 2020 – June 2022, Vice Commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
22. June 2022 – present, Commandant, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: senior pilot
Flight Hours: more than 1,200, with 700 hour in F-15C/D
Aircraft Flown: T-6A, T-37, T-38A, AT-38 and F-15C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Legion of Merit
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL HONORS
2000 Air Force Association Award, Undergraduate Pilot Training
2005 Distinguished Graduate, Air and Space Operations Center Initial Qualification Course
2005 Distinguished Graduate, Joint Firepower Course
2006 Top-third graduate, Squadron Officer School
2008 33rd Operations Support Squadron Flight Commander of the Year
2009 33rd Fighter Wing and 9th Air Force Direct Reporting Units Field Grade Officer of the Year
2009 Air Combat Command “Best Aircrew Flight Equipment Small Unit” Award
2010 Distinguished Graduate, T-6A Pilot Instructor Training
2010 Order of the Daedalian Carl Crane Award (Pilot Instructor Training Graduate of the Year)
2011 455th Flying Training Squadron Flight Commander of the Year
2011 19th Air Force T-6A Instructor Pilot of the Year
2011 Major General Profitt Award (AETC Officer Instructor of the Year)
2012 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2013-2014 Military Educator of the Year, Air Command and Staff College
2018 Graduation Marshal, Auburn University, College of Liberal Arts
2019 AETC Gill Robb Wilson Aerospace Education Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1999
First Lieutenant June 2, 2001
Captain June 2, 2003
Major Jan. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel June 1. 2014
Colonel July 1, 2020
(Current as of June 2022)