New Leadership Takes Charge of 356th AS

Lt. Col. Matthew Vandewalle, 433rd Operations Group commander, hands the 356th Airlift Squadron guidon to the unit’s new commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Jones, as part of an assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas on Jan. 5th, 2024. Jones will lead approximately 60 personnel responsible for providing initial and upgrade training for all Active Duty and Reserve C-5M Super Galaxy aircrew.

New Leadership Takes Charge of 356th AS

Lt. Col. Christopher Jones, 356th Airlift Squadron commander, delivers remarks during his assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas on Jan. 5th, 2024. Jones will lead approximately 60 personnel responsible for providing initial and upgrade training for all Active Duty and Reserve C-5M Super Galaxy aircrew

New Leadership Takes Charge of 356th AS

Lt. Col. Matthew Vandewalle, 433rd Operations Group commander, delivers remarks during an assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas on Jan. 5th, 2024. Lt. Col. Christopher Jones takes over leadership of the 356th Airlift Squadron, which consists of approximately 60 personnel responsible for providing initial and upgrade training for all Active Duty and Reserve C-5M Super Galaxy aircrew.

New Leadership Takes Charge of 356th AS

Published Jan. 5, 2024
By Julian Hernandez
433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --

Lt. Col. Christopher G. Jones assumed command of the 356th Airlift Squadron during a ceremony here Jan. 5.

Prior to taking command of the 356th AS, Jones served as the 733rd Training Squadron director of operations. Jones initially joined the military as a member of the U.S. Navy, commissioning through Naval Officer Candidate School in 2000. He made the transition to the Air Force Reserve when he took an instructor pilot position with the 68th Airlift Squadron in 2013.

During the ceremony, Jones had a chance to address the Airmen now under his charge.

“I don’t look at us as just an airlift squadron,” Jones said. “I would be honored if you guys would allow me to call it home”.

Throughout his career, Jones has logged more than 5,000 flying hours, including 460 combat hours. When not in uniform, he works as a captain at a commercial airline and a reserve police officer for a municipality in South Florida.