Col. Jennifer Alickson is the Deputy Commander of the 512th Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command associate wing located at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The 1,800-person wing supports AFRC’s and Air Mobility Command’s global airlift mission, operating C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17A Globemaster III aircraft.
Colonel Alickson received her commission as a distinguished graduate from Officer Training School in October 2003. She began her Air Force career as an aircraft maintenance officer before attending Undergraduate Pilot Training in 2007. She served on active duty for 15 years, supporting operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Juniper Micron as a maintainer, KC-10A pilot, and contingency response Airman before entering the Air Force Reserve in 2019. Previous staff assignments include serving as Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, Headquarters AMC and AMC liaison to the Federal Aviation Administration as an individual mobilization augmentee.
Prior to her current position, the colonel was the IMA to the Director, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center A3/4/5/9 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts, English Literature and French Language, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2009 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Master of Arts in International Relations, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, Mass.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Arts in Counseling and Leadership, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
2017 Master of Business Administration, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
2023 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2003 – October 2006, Maintenance Officer, Group Executive Officer, 305th Maintenance Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
2. November 2006 – December 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. January 2008 – July 2012, KC-10A Instructor Pilot, Wing Executive Officer and Flight Commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
4. August 2012 – May 2014, Air Mobility Command Phoenix Mobility Intern and Training Flight Commander, 573rd Global Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. June 2014 – May 2015, Adjunct Instructor of Political Science and Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, U.S. Air Force Academy Air Officer Commanding Master’s Intermediate Developmental Education Program, Colorado Springs, Colo.
6. May 2015 – May 2017, Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 35, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
7. June 2017 – December 2018, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, AMC, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. January 2019 – July 2024, AMC Liaison Officer to the Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2024 – August 2025, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center A3/4/5/9
September 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 512th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: More than 1,900
Aircraft flown: KC-10A, T-53, T-1 and T-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Oct. 31, 2003
First Lieutenant Oct. 31, 2005
Captain Oct. 31, 2007
Major Dec. 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2018
Colonel July 1, 2024
(Current as of September 2025)