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COLONEL JON M. RHONE

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Colonel Jon M. Rhone is Commander, 505th Test and Evaluation Group, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. As commander, Rhone is responsible for developing operational to tactical level tactics, techniques and procedures supporting air, space and cyber integration, conducting advanced training for air and space operations center personnel, conducting operational test for elements of the Theater Air Control System, Space, Cyber and selected intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance weapons systems. In addition, his group provides responsive worldwide RADAR-centric planning, optimization and constant evaluation. The 505th TEG includes more than 600 personnel in four active duty squadrons, two detachments and eleven operating locations. The group is a subordinate unit of the 505th Command and Control Wing located at Hurlburt Field.

Col. Rhone entered the Air Force through the United States Air Force Academy in 1995. He is an Air Battle Manager with operational experience on multiple weapons systems and graduate of the USAF Weapons School. In addition to operational assignments, he served on staff at Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and Headquarters Air Combat Command (ACC). His previous assignment was as the Director of Combat Operations Division, 609th Air & Space Operations Center Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, where he led the execution of the air power across the Central Command area of responsibility. Rhone has multiple combat and combat support deployments in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, NORTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, ENDURING FREEDOM, & INHERENT RESOLVE.

EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, United States Air Force Academy, CO
2000 USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
2004 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2005 Master of Arts in Military Studies, American Military University, Manassas, VA
2008 Master of Arts in Military Art and Science, US Army Command General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KS
2011 Air War College (Correspondence)
2014 Air War College (Residence)

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 1995 - May 1996, Operations Adjutant, 437 AW / 15 AS, Charleston AFB, SC
2. May 1996 - Aug 1996, Student, Undergraduate Controller Training, 325 FW / 325 TRS, Tyndall AFB, FL
3. Sep 1996 - Feb 1997, E-3 Student Weapons Director, 552 ACW / 552 TRS, Tinker AFB, OK
4. Mar 1997 -Dec 1997, Air Battle Manager, 552 ACW / 965 AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
5. Dec 1997 - Jun 1998, Tactics Plans & Exercises Officer / SD, 552 ACW / 965 AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
6. Jun 1998 - Aug 1999, Deputy Chief, Weapons and Tactics / SD, 552 ACW / 965 AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
7. Aug 1999 - Dec 2000, Chief, Weapons and Tactics / Instructor / Evaluator SD, 552 ACW / 966 AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
8. Jul 2000 - Dec 2000, Student: USAFWS Command and Control Operations Division, 57TH WG / USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
9. Jan 2001 - Dec 2003, Weapons Officer / Chief, Weapons and Tactics / Evaluator SD, 18 WG / 961 AACS, Kadena AB, Japan
10. Jan 2004 - Dec 2004, Flight Commander, ABM Students / Evaluator SD, 8 WPS, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
11. Jan 2004 - Jun 2005, Chief, E-3 Stan/Eval, 8 WPS, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
12. Jul 2005 - Jun 2006, Assistant Operations Officer, Requirements / Evaluator SD, 8 WPS, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
13. Jun 2006 - Jun 2007, Operations Officer / Evaluator SD, 8 WPS, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
14. Jul 2007 - Jun 2008, Student, Army Command General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
15. Jul 2008 - Jan 2009, Chief, Fixed Wing Programs, Joint Special Operations Command, Ft Bragg, NC
16. Jan 2009 - Jun 2010, Chief, ISR Future Operations, Joint Special Operations Command, Ft Bragg, NC
17. Jun 2010 - May 2011, Operations Officer, 729 ACS, Hill AFB, UT
18. May 2011 - May 2013, Commander, 728 ACS, Eglin AFB, FL
19. May 2013 - Jun 2014, Student Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
20. Jun 2014 - Jan 2016, Deputy Chief, C2ISR Ops Division, Langley AFB, VA
21.Jan 2016 - May 2016, Director, Combat Operations, 609 AOC, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
22. Jun 2017 - Present, Commander, 505th Test and Evaluation Group, Nellis AFB, NV

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Air Battle Manager
Hours: 2650 
Combat Hours: 400
Aircraft: E-3B/C

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster) Meritorious Service Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters) Air Force Achievement Medal
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device Combat Readiness Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters) 

National Defense Service Medal (1 Device) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant, May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant, May 31, 1997
Captain, May 31, 1999
Major, Sep. 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel, July 1, 2010
Colonel, Oct. 1, 2016

(Current as of Jul 2017)