Jonathan W. Spare

BIOGRAPHY

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

COLONEL JONATHAN W. SPARE

Colonel Jonathan W. Spare retired from the United States Air Force on 1 March 2014. He is currently the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor (SASI) for Jackson School District’s Air Force Junior ROTC program. In this capacity, he is responsible for the administration of the Junior ROTC program and instruction of the Aerospace Science curriculum. Colonel Spare has previously served as the SASI for Long Branch High School, Long Branch, NJ, from 2015 to 2017, and more recently at Sayreville War Memorial High School, Parlin, NJ. From 2017 to 2022. At Sayreville, he stood up their AFJROTC program, which quickly evolved into a successful and integral part of the school.

Colonel Spare retired as the Vice Commander of the 514th Air Mobility Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The 514th Air Mobility Wing is an associate Reserve wing comprised of 24 subordinate units that support airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation missions using KC-10 Extender and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Colonel Spare was responsible for training and equipping more than 2,800 personnel, including Air Reserve Technicians and Traditional Reservists.

The colonel received his commission in 1984 after completing the Air Force Officers' Training School in San Antonio, Texas. He finished Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Texas, in 1985. Colonel Spare served seven years on active duty before joining the Air Force Reserve in 1991. During that time, he held such diverse positions as aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and nuclear surety officer. After leaving active duty, Colonel Spare started his Air Force Reserve career with the 732nd Military Airlift Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

After leaving active duty, Colonel Spare was hired at American Airlines. While there, he flew Boeing 727,757,767,and 777, McDonnel Douglas DC-10, and Airbus 320 series aircraft within the American Airlines international and domestic route structure.

A command pilot with over 6,300 military flight hours, Colonel Spare has flown global airlift missions including combat and combat support during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. He has deployed twice supporting Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM and commanded the tanker portion of in Exercise GREEN LIGHTENING in the summer of 2006, which was a US military effort to return to the Delamare bombing range in Australia's Northern Territory.

Colonel Spare and his wife, Cheryl, have four children, Samuel, Nathan, Victoria, and Candace.

EDUCATION

1981 Bachelor of Science - business administration; Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA

1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

1995 Air National Guard Safety Program Management, Southern California Safety Institute, Torrance, CA

1995 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Southern California Safety Institute, Torrance, CA

2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

2004 Safety Investigation Board President's Course, Kirtland AFB, NM

2006 Air War College, by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS

March 1984 - February 1985, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
February 1985 - July 1988, Pilot/Instructor Pilot, 6th Military Airlift Sqd, McGuire AFB, NJ
July 1988 - August 1990, nuclear surety officer, 438th Military Airlift Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
August 1990 - August 1991, instructor pilot and aircraft commander, 6th Military Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
August 1991 - March 1995, aircraft commander, 732nd Military Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
March 1995 - September 1996, aircraft commander and instructor pilot, 76th Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
September 1997 - April 2006, flight safety officer, 514th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB, NJ
April 2006 - July 2007, commander, 76th Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire AFB, NJ
July 2007- April 2011, Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer to Federal Emergency Management Agency Region III, Air Forces Northern Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate, Tyndall AFB, FL.
March 2011 – March 2014, Vice Commander, 514th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command pilot

Flight hours: More than 6,300

Aircraft: C-141B, KC-10

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal

Air Medal

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

Army Achievement Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant Feb. 29, 1984

First Lieutenant Feb. 28, 1986

Captain Feb. 28, 1988

Major Oct. 1, 1997

Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 4, 2003

Colonel Oct. 1, 2007