Van Ovost Tapped to be Air Mobility Command’s No. 2

Feb. 6, 2020 | By Brian W. Everstine

Lt. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost has been nominated to be the second in command at Air Mobility Command, the Pentagon announced Feb. 6.

Van Ovost, currently the director of staff at headquarters Air Force, will take over for Lt. Gen. Jon Thomas if confirmed. She is a command pilot with more than 4,200 hours in several aircraft, and spent some of the early part of her career as a test pilot.

Before the Air Staff, Van Ovost served as the special assistant to the vice chief of staff, and the vice director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. She last served in Air Mobility Command as the commander of the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, from 2010-2012. At AMC, she will serve as deputy to commander Gen. Maryanne Miller.

The Pentagon has not announced Thomas’s next position.

Also on Feb. 6, the Pentagon announced the following assignments:

  • Maj. Gen. Christopher Craige to be the commander of the Air Force Personnel Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. He is currently the director of plans and programs for U.S. Africa Command.
  • Maj. Gen. Kyle Kremer to be the director of strategic plans, requirements, and programs at Headquarters Air Mobility Command. He is currently the director of Global Reach Programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
  • Brig. Gen. Charles Bolton to be the deputy director of operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration at AMC. He is currently the vice commander of 18th Air Force.
  • Brig. Gen. Derek France to be the director of operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. He is currently the deputy director of operations for U.S. Central Command.
  • Brig. Gen. Michelle Hayworth to be the director of command, control, communication, and cyber systems at U.S. Transportation Command. She is currently the vice commander of 16th Air Force.
  • Brig. Gen. John Klein Jr. to be the director of U.S. Central Command’s Deployment and Distribution Operations Center. He is currently the vice commander of AMC’s U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center.
  • Brig. Gen. Benjamin Maitre to be the assistant commanding general, Air Force, at Joint Special Operations Command. He is currently the director of U.S. Special Operations Command’s legislative affairs.
  • Brig. Gen. (select) Jason Bailey to command the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy. He is currently the director of the Checkmate Division in for the deputy chief of staff, operations, at Headquarters Air Force.
Personnel

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