Col. Joseph W. Leonard is the 108th Wing Vice Commander of New Jersey Air National Guard, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ. The 108th Wing is a reserve component of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command. Col. Leonard is responsible for assisting the 108th Wing Commander in managing the Wing's flying units; the 141st Air Refueling Squadron, flying the KC-135R Stratotanker, the 150th Special Operations Squadron flying the C-32B and 17 support units with more than 1,200 members. Col. Leonard is additionally responsible for Unit Effectiveness Inspections, the Air Force Special Interest Items Program, the 108th Wing Command Post, and the 108th Wing Staff.
Col. Leonard enlisted in the Air Force in January 1993 as an F-16 Avionics Communication, Navigation, and Penetration Aids Systems Specialist. Upon completion of his technical training at Lowry Air Force Base, Colo., he was assigned to the 311th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz., as an Avionics Systems Apprentice on the units F-16 C/D aircraft. He was then selected for reassignment to the 62d Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. to assist in the squadron’s reactivation. After completing his active duty enlistment in February 1997 then Senior Airman Leonard enlisted with the New Jersey Air National Guard in July 1997, as an F-16 Integrated Avionics Systems Specialist. Col. Leonard graduated from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in May 2000, and earned his commission in 2003. His first commissioned assignment was with the 177th Maintenance Squadron as a Maintenance Operations Officer. Col. Leonard's next assignments were with the 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as the Aircraft Maintenance Unit Officer In Charge, and then as the squadron's Maintenance Operations Officer. In 2009, he was selected as the commander of the 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and then in 2014 he assumed command of the 177th Maintenance Squadron. During this time, he mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle, and served four overseas deployments in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2017, he relinquished squadron command to commence his position as the deputy group commander of the 177th Maintenance Group.
Prior to his current position, Colonel Leonard served as the Commander of the 177th Maintenance Group, 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. 2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by seminar
2020 Master of Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2020 Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., by seminar
ASSIGNMENTS
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Mar 1993 – Jul 1993, Student, F-16 Avionics Communication, Navigation, and Penetration Aids Systems Specialist Course, 3450th Technical Training Squadron, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
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Jul 1993 – Nov 1994, F-16 Avionics Systems Specialist, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
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Nov 1994 – Feb 1997, F-16 Avionics Systems Specialist, 62d Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
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Jul 1997 - May 2003, Avionics Technician, 177th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ (Nov 2000 – Dec 2000, F-16 Integrated Avionics Systems Specialist, 363d Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia)
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May 2003 – Jun 2003, Student, Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.
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Jun 2003 – Nov 2004, Maintenance Operations Officer, 177th Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J.
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Nov 2004 – Jan 2009, Maintenance Operations Officer, 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ (Feb 2006 – Apr 2006, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 332d Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Balad AB, Iraq)
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Jan 2009 – Apr 2014, Commander, 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J. (Mar 2010 – Jun 2010, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 332d Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Balad AB, Iraq) (Nov 2011 – Mar 2012, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
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Apr 2014 – Jan 2017, Commander, 177th Maintenance Squadron, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J. (Jul 2015 – Aug 2015, Maintenance Officer, 177th Maintenance Group, Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria)
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Jan 2017 – Aug 2019, Deputy Commander, 177th Maintenance Group, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ (Feb 2017 – Apr 2017, Deputy Commander, 51st Maintenance Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea)
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Aug 2019 – May 2022, Commander, 177th Maintenance Group, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J.
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Jun 2022 – Present, Vice Wing Commander, 108th Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of July 2022)