Colonel Benjamin D. Jensen is the Deputy Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D. As the Deputy Commander, he is responsible for the health and welfare of roughly 4,900 active duty members, 500 civilian employees, and 6,000 family members. He also assists with overseeing operations involving the wing’s fleet of B-52H bombers to provide deterrence and long-range strike capability for combatant command operations worldwide.
Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Jensen was the Chief of Bomber Requirements Division, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Colonel Jensen managed the nation’s B-1, B‑2, and B-52 bomber’s $25 billion program memorandum requirements. He was responsible for joint capabilities integration, system sustainment programs, advocacy, modernization, and program acquisition. In this role, Colonel Jensen supported nuclear weapon system and strategic force integration across bomber platforms enabling Air Force Global Strike Command to provide combat-ready forces to combatant commanders for strategic nuclear, global strike, and deterrence operations.
Colonel Jensen was commissioned in 2001. He graduated from pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas and was operationally assigned to the B-52. He has served in multiple operational and training assignments and logged more than 3,000 hours in B-52H, T-37, T-6, and T-38A. Notable educational and staff assignments include Air War College and Deputy Chief, Capabilities Division for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, HAF/A10, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Colonel Jensen commanded the 14th Student Squadron, 14th Operations Group, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, leading over 650 students and 90 civilians. He served as the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron Director of Operations, Andersen AFB, Guam U.S.A. Deputy Operations Group Commander, 14th Operations Group, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. His operational assignments supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Continuous Bomber Presence Missions.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Business, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
2002 U.S. Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Masters of Diplomacy, Political Sciences, Terrorism, Norwich University, Northfield, Vt.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2022 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2002–September 2003, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. January 2004–August 2004, Student, B-52 Flying Training Unit, Barksdale AFB, La.
3. September 2004–February 2007, Aircraft Commander, B-52H, (Operation ENDURING FREEDOM), Minot AFB, N.D.
4. February 2007–September 2011, Instructor Pilot, T-37; Flight Commander, T-6, Assistant Director of Operations, Pilot Instructor Training Instructor Pilot, 459 FTS, Sheppard AFB, Texas.
5. October 2011–September 2014, 5th Bomb Wing Director of Staff, Chief 5th Operations Group Standardization and Evaluation, B-52H, Evaluator Pilot, Expeditionary Squadron Director of Operations (Continuous Bomber Presence), Minot AFB, N.D.
6. October 2014–February 2017, Aircraft Strike Planner, Executive Officer U.S. Strategic Command Joint Forces Component Command Global Strike, Offutt AFB, Neb.
7. March 2017–April 2018, Director of Operations, Evaluator Pilot, T-6, 41st Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
8. April 2018–February 2020, Commander, 14th Student Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
9. February 2020–May 2020, Deputy Group Commander, 5th Operations Group, Columbus AFB, Miss.
10. May 2020–July 2021, Deputy Chief, Capabilities Division, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
11. July 2021–July 2022, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. July 2022–July 2023, Chief, Bomber Requirements Division, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
13. July 2023-present, Deputy Commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2014–October 2015, Aircraft Strike Planner, Joint Functional Component Command, Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb., as a major
2. October 2015–June 2017, Executive Officer, JFCC GS, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,000 hours and 320 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38A, T-6, B-52H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September 13, 2001
First Lieutenant September 13, 2003
Captain September 13, 2005
Major October 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2016
Colonel June 1, 2022
(Current as of July 31, 2023)