Brig. Gen. Catherine M. Jumper is the Chief of Staff, Virginia Air National Guard at Joint Force Headquarters, Richmond, Virginia. Her responsibilities include leading more than 1,200 Virginia National Guard Airman to train and execute defense and support to the Commonwealth of Virginia, F-22 air dominance, worldwide intelligence operations, aviation weather support, cyber protection, global supply chain management, RED HORSE operations, medical readiness, Chemical, Biological, Radiation, and Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP), and base operating services missions. She sets organizational goals and empowers commanders to execute their respective plans, programs and missions. She analyzes and evaluates training programs and operational readiness levels to determine mission capability and unit effectiveness. She is the primary advisor to the Adjutant General of Virginia on all Air National Guard state and federal issues.
General Jumper earned her commission as a distinguished graduate of the University of Virginia’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1995. She has served in all three components of the U.S. Air Force, including ten years on active duty in various units in Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Education and Training Command. In October 2015, she transitioned into the Virginia Air National Guard and served in various command positions.
She led deployed teams supporting both Operations Southern and Northern Watch and launched the first Operation Noble Eagle sorties after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She has commanded at both the squadron and group levels and served in various positions at the wing, major command and headquarters levels. Her notable staff assignments include Secretary of the Air Force Congressional Liaison Officer and F-15/F-16 Weapons System Team Chief, ACC, and Vice Commander, 192nd Wing. Prior to her current assignment, the general served as the J3, Director of Operations, Joint Staff, Virginia Air National Guard, at Joint Force Headquarters, Richmond, Virginia.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
1999 Applied Maintenance Management Concepts, LOG 262, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2000 Master of Arts in Business Administration/Management, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2000 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Air National Guard Commander’s Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995–July 1996, Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight Commander, 1st Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
2. July 1996–September 1997, Munitions Flight Commander, 1st Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
3. September 1997–July 1998, Sortie Support Flight Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. (September 1997–December 1997, Sortie Support Flight Commander, Operation Southern Watch, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia)
4. July 1998–July 1999, Assistant Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 25th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
5. July 1999–June 2000, Quality Assurance Flight Commander, 1st Logistics Group, Langley AFB, Va.
6. June 2000–May 2001, Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. (August 2000–November 2001, Sortie Generation Flight Commander, Operation Northern Watch, Incirlik AB, Turkey)
7. May 2001–July 2002, Maintenance Operations Officer, 1st Maintenance Group, Langley AFB, Va.
8. July 2002–September 2005, Commandant of Cadets/Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
9. September 2005–March 2011, Congressional Liaison Officer, Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
10. March 2011–October 2015, Deputy Chief, F-15/F-16 Weapons System Team, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
11. October 2015–December 2017, Commander, 192nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
12. December 2017–February 2020, Commander, 192nd Maintenance Group, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
13. February 2020–September 2021, Vice Commander, 192nd Wing, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. September 2021–October 2022, J3A, Director of Operations, Virginia National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, Richmond, Va.
15. October 2022–Present, Chief of Staff, Virginia Air National Guard, VNG/JFHQ, Richmond, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHEIVEMENTS
1995 Distinguished Graduate, Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Virginia
1995 Distinguished Graduate, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course
1998 General Lew Allen Award, Outstanding Maintenance Manager, 1st Fighter Wing
2000 Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award, Outstanding Aircraft Maintenance, Supervisor-Manager, 1st Fighter Wing
2001 General Lew Allen Award, Outstanding Maintenance Manager, 1st Fighter Wing
2002 Education Officer of the Year, Southeast Region, Air Education and Training Command
2003 Colonel Leo A. Codd Outstanding AFROTC Instructor of the Year, AETC
2004 Commandant of Cadets of the Year, AETC
(Current as of December 2022)