Colonel JOCELYN J. SCHERMERHORN

Col. Jocelyn J. Schermerhorn is the commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. She is responsible for preparing Air Force special operations forces for worldwide missions in support of joint and coalition special operations. The wing's mission includes planning, posturing, and executing precision strike, specialized mobility, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The wing employs more than 80 aircraft, including the AC-130U, AC-130J, MC-130H, CV-22B, U-28A, PC-12 and MQ-9. These capabilities support a variety of special operations missions including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations, and information operations. As installation commander, Col. Schermerhorn also oversees Hurlburt Field’s base support for the wing’s four groups and 26 squadrons, as well as over 40 tenant units, including Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command.

Col. Schermerhorn entered the Air Force in 1995 as a distinguished graduate of Colorado State University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. She earned her wings as a distinguished graduate of navigator training at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas and holds Master of Business Administration and Master of Strategic Studies postgraduate degrees. During her career she has served as a C-130E evaluator navigator, MC-130H evaluator navigator, U-28A combat systems officer, flight commander, executive officer, Air Force Special Operations Command plans and programs chief of special projects, Special Operations Command South chief of air operations, squadron operations officer, squadron commander, and joint special operations air component commander. Prior to arriving to the 1st Special Operations Wing, Col. Schermerhorn served as the vice commander of the 11th Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

Col. Schermerhorn is a master navigator with over 3,500 flight hours, has participated in a number of worldwide contingency operations and is a veteran of Operations JOINT GUARD, ALLIED FORCE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. 


EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, Colo.
2000 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, Mo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2007 US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2012 Air War College by correspondence
2015 Master of Strategic Studies, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.


ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 – September 1996, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph Air Force Base (AFB), Texas
2. September 1996 – January 1997, Student, C-130E Navigator Initial Qual, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. January 1997 – June 2001, Navigator, Instructor, Flight Examiner, 61st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. June 2001 – September 2002, Navigator, FTU Instructor, Flight Examiner, 53rd Airlift Sq, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. September 2002 – March 2003, Student, MC-130H Navigator Initial Qualification, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. March 2003 – August 2005, Navigator, Instructor and Flight Examiner, 15th Special Operations Sq, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. August 2005 – September 2006, Wing Executive Officer, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. September 2006 – January 2007, Chief of Special Projects, AFSOC Plans and Programs, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
9. January 2007 – January 2008, Student, US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
10. January 2008 – March 2008, Student, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
11. March 2008 – April 2010, Chief of J3 Air Operations, Special Operations Command South, Homestead ARB, Fla.
12. April 2010 – June 2012, Director of Operations, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. June 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. June 2014 – June 2015, Student, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
15. June 2015 – June 2017, Faculty Instructor, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
16. June 2017 – June 2020 Vice Commander, 11th Wing, Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington, Md.
17. June 2020 to present, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.


SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
2008 – 2010, Chief of J3 Air Operations, Special Operations Command South, Homestead ARB, Fla., as a major
2011, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component Africa, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master navigator Flight hours: more than 3,500 Aircraft Flown: C-130E, MC-130H, U-28A, UH-1N
 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster

 

(Current as of June 2020)