Col Jesse W. Lamarand is the commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D. He ensures the wing’s combat readiness and is responsible for operations involving the wing’s fleet of B-52H bombers to provide deterrence and long-range strike capability for combatant command operations worldwide. Additionally, his command provides logistics support for the 91st Missile Wing.
Col Lamarand commissioned in 2000 through the ROTC program at Eastern Michigan University. He earned his navigator wings in 2001, and since then has held a variety of operational flying and staff assignments as a B-52 Radar Navigator, Group Executive Officer, Weapons Officer, Pol-Mil Affairs Strategist at the Joint Staff, and Commander of the 451st Flying Training Squadron, where he oversaw training for Air Force Combat System Officers.
Col Lamarand is a Master Combat Systems Officer with more than 2,300 flight hours primarily in the B-52H, including 279 combat hours. Throughout his career, he has deployed several times to the Pacific Theater, including flying combat missions from British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to his current position, Colonel Lamarand was the commander of the 2nd Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Political Science, Eastern Michigan University
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. by correspondence
2008 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Barksdale AFB, La.
2011 Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif.
2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of National Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2014 Joint Professional Military Education II, by correspondence
2016 Master of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
May 2000-July 2002, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla.
August 2002-May 2004, Navigator, 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
June 2004-December 2005, Radar Navigator, SELO, 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
January 2006-March 2007, Instructor Radar Navigator, Flight Commander, 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
April 2007-March 2008, Instructor Radar Navigator, Executive Officer, 2d Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, La.
April 2008-November 2008, Student, USAF Weapons School, Barksdale AFB, La.
December 2008-November 2009, Flight Commander, Nuclear Plans & Operations, 2d Operations Support Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
December 2009-December 2010, Assistant Director of Operations, 2d Operations Support Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
January 2011-July 2011, Student, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif.
August 2011-December 2012, Student, Naval Post-Graduate School, Monterey, Calif.
March 2013-May 2015, Political-Military Affairs Strategist, J5 Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
June 2015-September 2016, Student, School for Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
October 2016-January 2017, Director of Operations, 479th Student Squadron, NAS Pensacola, Fla.
January 2017-March 2019, Commander, 451 Flying Training Squadron, NAS Pensacola, Fla.
April 2019-June 2020, Chief, Strategy Plans, 609th AOC, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
July 2020-June 2021, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
July 2021-May 2022, Chief, Capability Development Division, AFGSC A5P, Barksdale AFB, La.
June 2022-June 2024, Commander, 2d Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, La.
July 2024-Present, Commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, Nd.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
March 2013-May 2015, Political-Military Affairs Strategist, J5 Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: more than 2,300 including 279 combat hours
Aircraft flown: B-52H, T-34C, T-1A, T-39N/G
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 30, 2000
First Lieutenant April 30, 2002
Captain April 30, 2004
Major November 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2015
Colonel May 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2024)