Lieutenant Colonel John Jansta serves as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and the Director of Staff, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 765, The Citadel. He manages a staff of motivated, professional officers and non-commissioned officers and administers a robust training program, to include formal classroom instruction, leadership laboratory, physical fitness, and officer candidate mentoring.
Lieutenant Colonel Jansta received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and was commissioned through ROTC in 2007. He has a Master of Industrial Engineering degree from North Carolina State University. He has two assignments as a F-15E Instructor Weapon Systems Officer. He deployed twice while stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. During his two-year assignment in the United Kingdom, he was a Flight Commander and Chief of Nuclear Operations. Lt Col Jansta was previously assigned to the Air Force’s Personnel Center, JBSA-Randolph, TX. He managed assignments for 1100 F-15 fighter pilots and WSOs. He also developed the Air Force assignment system, Talent Marketplace. He has over 1,350 flight hours, including 500 combat hours.
Education
2007 Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Alabama
2017 Master of Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
Assignments
July 2007-November 2009, Student Navigator, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, NAS Pensacola, Fla.
November 2009-March 2011, Student F-15E Weapon Systems Officer, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.
March 2011-November 2014, Chief of Mission Planning and F-15E Weapon System Officer, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.
November 2014-December 2016, Flight Commander, Chief of Nuclear Operations, and F-15E Instructor Weapon Systems Officer, 492d Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK.
December 2016-June 2020, F-15 Assignment Officer, Deputy Chief Assignment Policy & Program Branch, Air Force Personnel Center, JB San Antonio, Randolph AFB, TX
June 2020-June 2024, Operations Officer, and Operations Flight Commander, AFROTC Detachment 220, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
June 2024-Present, Director of Staff, AFROTC Detachment 765, The Citadel, Charleston, SC.
Flight Information
Rating: Senior Navigator
Flight hours: more than 1350
Aircraft flown: F-15E, AT-38, T-39, T-1A, T-6A, T-37
Major Awards and Decorations
Air Medal with 3 OLC
Air & Space Commendation Medal
Air & Space Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant 17 June 2007
First Lieutenant 17 June 2009
Captain 17 June 2011
Major 1 June 2017
Lieutenant Colonel 1 March 2022
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2024)