Colonel Jared D. Thompson is the United States National Military Representative to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). He leads a diverse joint team responsible for ensuring national policies are incorporated into SHAPE planning and operations; force generation for NATO operations; and supporting US staffing and strength management across SACEUR’s AOR.
Prior to this assignment, he served as Joint Air Mobility Strategist, Joint Air Power Competence Centre (NATO), in Kalkar, Germany. In this role, he executed the JAPCC Program of Work for air mobility including leading the Global Air Transport and Air to Air Refueling interoperability and compatibility efforts, supporting both the NATO Military Committee Joint Standardization Board and NATO Air Forces Armaments Group as Chairman of the Air Transportation Working Group and Chairman of the Air to Air Refueling Working Group.
Operationally, he flew C-130E, C-130H, and C-130J. His operational airlift experience ranges across multiple theaters to include Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN as well as missions in the Horn of Africa and throughout Europe.
Colonel Thompson served as Commander, 728th Air Mobility Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, providing en route aircraft maintenance, aerial port operations, and expeditionary support for Air Mobility Command, NATO, and Coalition Partners. The unit served as the critical node for global operations directly supporting operations across three geographic and two functional Combatant Commands with additional operating locations in Tel Aviv, Israel and Cairo, Egypt.
Colonel Thompson received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2002. He is a graduate of the United States Army Command General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Combat Action Medal and various unit awards.