Colonel John Tree is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. He serves a 9,000 personnel team responsible for $3B in revenue. The complex performs programmed depot maintenance on the KC-135, B-1B, B-52 and E-3 aircraft; expanded phase maintenance on the Navy E-6 aircraft; and maintenance, repair and overhaul of F100, F101, F108, F110, F117, F118, F119 and TF33 engines for the Air Force, Navy and foreign military sales. Additionally, the complex is responsible for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of a myriad of Air Force and Navy airborne accessory components, and the development and sustainment of a diverse portfolio of mission critical software.
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Tree served as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics, Installations and Mission Support at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Before that he served as the Senior IMA to the Director of Global Channel Operations in the Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott AFB, Ill. for three years.
Colonel Tree joined the Air Force in 1990 following his graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and served on active duty for seven years in the transportation and logistics career fields. He joined the Air Force Reserve in 1997 and became fully qualified in the acquisition career field. He has held positions as a Traditional Reservist, an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer, and as an IMA. He had the great privilege of commanding the 215 men and women of the 38th Aerial Port Squadron at Charleston AFB, S.C., for three years.
In his civilian professional career, he has held many key senior management positions, including CEO and President, in a diverse array of high impact and dynamic companies. He currently serves as the CEO for a global logistics leader in the perishables shipping industry.
Colonel Tree began his corporate career in marketing and brand management with Fortune 100 companies. He was responsible for $400 million portfolio of several name brand icons. He went on to create a national beverage company, re-launching a popular brand back into the American marketplace. He also served as the President of a regional granola company before pursuing corporate acquisition opportunities backed by private equity investors.
He’s an Eagle Scout, and his hobbies include scuba diving, home improvement projects, foreign languages, and travel. He holds an MBA in marketing and another Master’s degree in Economics. He was previously a candidate for the U.S. Congress from the 10th district in Illinois but did not win his party’s nomination during the primary election.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science degree, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
1994 Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing, Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii
1995 Squadron Officers School, non-resident
1998 Master of Arts degree in Economics, University of Oklahoma
2001 Air Command and Staff College, non-resident
2005 Air War College, non-resident
2010 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C
2010 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1990 - June 1992, Chief, Vehicle Maintenance Branch, Castle AFB, Calif.
2. July 1992 - June 1994, Duty Officer, 619th Aerial Port Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
3. July 1994 - March 1997, Chief, Western Mediterranean Support, HQ 16th Air Force, Aviano Air Base, Italy
4. April 1997 - December 1997, Wing Plans Officer, 934th Reserve Airlift Wing, Minneapolis, Minn.
5. January 1998 - August 1999, Recruiter/Liaison Officer, U.S. Air Force Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio
6. September 1999 - January 2005, Lead, Operations and Strategy, Directorate of Requirements, HQ Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. February 2005 - May 2008, Commander, 38th Aerial Port Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. June 2008 - February 2011, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Global Channel Operations, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. March 2011 - July 2012, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Global Combat Support, HQ Air Force A4/7Z, the Pentagon
10. July 2012 - March 2015, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Resource Integration, HQ Air Force A4/7P, the Pentagon
11. April 2015 - present Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Okla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
January 2004 - May 2004 Deputy Division Chief, J-4, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with device
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal with three devices
Humanitarian Service Medal with device
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrance Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
AF Longevity Service with five oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 'M' Device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with device
Navy Pistol Shot Medal
Navy Expert Rifle Medal
Air Force Training Ribbon
United Nations Medal for Haiti
NATO Medal
Air Force Elementary Excellence in Competition Pistol Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1990
First Lieutenant May 30, 1992
Captain May 30, 1994
Major June 2, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 30, 2004
Colonel May 1, 2008
(Current as of May 2015)