Colonel Jonas W. Freel is the Deputy Commander of Operations, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. In this role he is responsible for employing 67 manned and remotely piloted fixed-wing aircraft, including the AC-130J, MC-130J, and MQ-9, while also service as the primary operations advisor to the Wing Commander. The 1 SOW serves seven special operations squadrons with over 1,100 Air Commandos from 80 different Air Force Specialty Codes. Col Freel is responsible for providing world-wide deployable, full-spectrum specialized airpower to combatant commanders executing special operations missions across the globe.
Col Freel received his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 2002. Upon graduation, he attended primary Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training with the U.S. Navy at Pensacola NAS and Whiting Field, Florida before attending advanced multi-engine training at Corpus Christi NAS, Texas where he met his wife, Brianne. Col Freel has over 3,500 flight hours, over 260 combat sorties, and 24 deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, and the Indo-Pacific.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2003 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 USAF Weapons School, AC-130 Weapons Instructor Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2013 Master’s in Operational Warfare, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2015 Air Command and Staff College, Fellow, Lemay Doctrine Center, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2023 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2023 Master’s in Military Strategy, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. Mar 2002 – Dec 2003, Student, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Whiting Field, Fla.
2. Jan 2004 – July 2004, Student, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Tex.
3. Aug 2004 – Aug 2013, Current Operations, Plans, Tactics, and Assistant Director of Operations, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. Sep 2013 – Jul 2015, Assistant Director of Operations, 73rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
5. Aug 2015 – Jun 2016, Lemay Doctrine Center Fellow, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
6. Jul 2016 – Jun 2019, Chief of Plans and Strategy and Deputy Director of Operations, Special Operations Command South, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.
7. Jun 2019 – May 2020, Director of Operations, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. May 2020 – July 2021, Commander, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
9. July 2021 – June 2022, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
10. June 2022 – June 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
11. June 2023 – May 2024, Director of Sensitive Activities, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. May 2024 – Sept 2025, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing Joint Task Force, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. Oct 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander of Operations, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jun 2016 – Jun 2019, Deputy Director of Operations, Special Operations Command South, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla, as a Major and Lieutenant Colonel
2. May 2024 – Sept 2025, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing Joint Task Force, Hurlburt Field, Fla, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,500
Aircraft flown: T-24, T-44, C-130E, AC-130U, AC-130W, PC-12, U-28, AC-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with Valor
Air Medal with thirteen oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with four stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Campaign Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major May 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2017
Colonel July 1, 2023
(Current as of Oct 2025)