Colonel Jerry Ottinger is currently serving as the Commander of the 5th Mission Support Group, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. Colonel Ottinger leads six squadrons providing full spectrum operational and expeditionary support to the 5th Bomb Wing's 27 B-52 strategic bombers, the 91st Missile Wing's 165 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic missiles and Launch control centers and the 54th Helicopter Squadron’s eight UH-1 helicopters delivering global assurance, precision strike, and nuclear deterrence to six combatant commanders. Colonel Ottinger trains, organizes, and equips 1,900 combat-ready Warrior Airmen poised to strike when ordered. He plans, operates, and maintains base and missile field assets worth $6.3 billion dollars in the Air Force’s only base housing two legs of the nuclear triad. He secures, protects, and bolsters morale and welfare for over 12,400 Airmen and families.
Colonel Ottinger entered the Air Force in January 2001, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Indiana State University. He has worked at the squadron, group, Numbered Air Force, Major Command, and Combatant Command levels and deployed four times to operations in U.S. Central Command. Colonel Ottinger completed the U.S. Air Force Logistics Career Broadening Officer at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in 2011 and Air Command and Staff College in 2014, where he was one of four students handpicked to work with the U.S. Air Force Center for Strategy and Technology and Air War College Blue Horizons focus group. He has commanded two Logistics Readiness Squadrons, served as a Deputy Group Commander, and served as the Global Plans Branch Chief, Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics Directorate (J5/4), Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command. Prior to his current position, he was the Customer Facing Division Chief for the Defense Logistics Agency.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts, English, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Ind.
2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2002 Supply Operations Officer Course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2006 Master of Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Okla.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Advanced Logistics Readiness Officer Course, Fort Dix, N.J.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Master of Military Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, Institute for Defense and Business Center of Excellence in Logistics & Technology, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, N.C.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air War College (by correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala
2019 Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2019 Enterprise Logistics Course (LOG 420), Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
2021 Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Virginia.
ASSIGNMENTS
February 2001 - February 2004, multiple Officer-in-Charge and Flight Commander positions, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
February 2004 - February 2006, Multiple Flight Commander jobs and Installation Deployment Officer, 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal
February 2006 - June 2009, Logistics Readiness Lead Evaluator, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
July 2009 - May 2011, Logistics Career Broadening Officer, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, GA
June 2011 - June 2012, Director of Operations, 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
June 2012 - Jul 2013, Chief of Operations and Plans, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Shaw AFB, SC
July 2013 – July 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
July 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 9th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Beale AFB, CA.
June 2016 – June 2018, Commander, 7th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX
June 2018 – June 2020, Deputy Commander, 635th Materiel Maintenance Group, Holloman AFB, NM
June 2020 – Jun 2022, Global Plans Chief, TCJ5/J4 Directorate, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL
June 2022 – June 2023, USAF Customer Facing Division Chief, Defense Logistics Agency – Aviation, Richmond, VA
June 2023 – Present, Commander, 5th Mission Support Group, Minot AFB, ND
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
2018 Air Force General Thomas P. Gerrity Award for outstanding contribution to systems and logistics
2018 Air Force Global Strike Command General Thomas P. Gerrity Award for outstanding contribution to systems and logistics
2018 Air Force Global Strike Daedalian Maj. Gen. Warren R. Carter Logistics Readiness Award (Dyess AFB)
2012 Pacific Air Force Daedalian Maj. Gen. Warren R. Carter Logistics Readiness Award (Kunsan AB)
2011 Pacific Air Force Field Grade Logistics Readiness Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 26, 2001
First Lieutenant January 26, 2003
Captain January 26, 2005
Major November 01, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2023
(Current as of Mar 2023)