Col. Jason Harris is the Commander of the Air Force Security Forces Center, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. He directs the day-to-day operations of the center and its four directorates. AFSFC executes the organizing, training and equipping of more than 38,000 security forces members in the active and air reserve component.
The organization is cross-functional, manned by security forces, intelligence, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, explosive ordnance disposal, medical, scientific, communications, engineering, logistics and acquisition program management personnel. Its mission includes the capability to rapidly identify and prove the worth of innovative force protection initiatives that improve Department of the Air Force mission execution and joint warfighting capability. In addition to the headquarters in San Antonio, the colonel also supervises three geographically separated Air Force detachments: Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, and corrections facilities located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Colonel Harris received his commission from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998 having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He is a career security forces officer and three-time squadron commander, including a security forces unit, training unit and The United States Air Force Honor Guard. He is also a graduated group commander having commanded the 412th Mission Support Group, Edwards AFB, California. He has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, he was chief of the Joint Protection Division, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2004 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence and residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Master of Science, Criminology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
2015 Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Session 259
2015 Masters’ Certificate, Criminal Justice, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
2024 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1998 – July 1999, Assistant Regional Director of Admissions, Det. 790, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn.
2. August 1999 – July 2000, Element Leader, 741st Missile Security Forces Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
3. July 2000 – June 2001, Operations Plans Officer, 4th Operations Support Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. June 2001 – July 2002, Flight Commander, Antiterrorism Officer and Operations Officer, 4th Security Forces Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. July 2002 – April 2003, Flight Commander, 568th Security Forces Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
6. April 2003 – October 2004, 86th Security Forces Group Training Flight Commander, 435th Security Forces Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany (May 2004 – September 2004, Commander, 438th Expeditionary SFS, Shahbaz AB, Jacobabad, Pakistan)
7. October 2004 – July 2006, Operations Officer, 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron, Vogelweh, Germany
8. August 2006 – December 2007, Air Force Institute of Technology Student, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
9. December 2007 – June 2010, Section Chief, Directorate of Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. (May 2008 – November 2008, Antiterrorism Officer, 64th Air Expeditionary Group, Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia, July 2009 – Jan 2010, Officer In Charge Detention Operations, Provost Marshal’s Office, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq)
10. July 2010 – July 2012, Commander, 22nd Security Forces Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kansas
11. July 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 341st Training Squadron (Department of Defense Military Working Dog Training Center), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
12. June 2014 – July 2017, Nuclear Surety Staff Officer, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
13. August 2017 – July 2019, Commander, The United States Air Force Honor Guard, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
14. July 2019 – June 2020, Student, The United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
15. July 2020 – July 2022, Commander, 412th Mission Support Group, Edwards AFB, Calif.
16. July 2022 – July 2024, Chief, Joint Protection Division, HQ USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany
17. July 2024 – present, Commander, Air Force Security Forces Center, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2014 – July 2017, Nuclear Surety Staff Officer, HQ USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2022 – July 2024, Chief, Joint Protection Division, HQ USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany, as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 Air Mobility Command Best Medium Size Security Forces Unit
2018 11th Wing Verne Orr Unit Award
2018 11th Wing Air Force Association Citation of Honor Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 16, 1998
First Lieutenant May 16, 2000
Captain May 16, 2002
Major April 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2013
Colonel October 1, 2019
(Current as of August 2024)