Colonel John W. Winkler is the Commander of the 374th Mission Support Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He leads over 2,700 people in six squadrons to provide combat support and mission-ready forces for the 374th Airlift Wing and 32 tenant units including Headquarters U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force. The 374th Mission Support Group provides security, communications, contracting, logistics, personnel management, civil engineering and quality of life programs for approximately 11,000 military and civilian personnel and assets worth over $2 billion.
A Florida native, Colonel Winkler was commissioned through the Air Force Officer Training School in August 1994. He has held a variety of logistics positions at the wing and Air Force level and commanded two logistics readiness squadrons. Colonel Winkler’s deployment history includes a tour with the 387th Air Expeditionary Group, Al Mubarak, Kuwait where he served as the Deputy Group Commander. Additionally, he served as the Director of Logistics (J-4), 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul Afghanistan. In this capacity he was the senior logistics advisor to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Commander and senior mentor to the Afghan Air Force Logistician (G4).
He is married to Linda Paulson Winkler and has two children, Bryce (12) and Libby (9).
EDUCATION:
1992 Bachelor of Science degree, Political Science, Florida State University, Florida
1993 Master of Science degree, Social Science Education, Florida State University, Florida
1997 Master of Arts degree, Human Resource Management, Webster University, Missouri
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2005 Advanced Logistics Readiness Officer Course, McGuire AFB, New Jersey
2007 Master of Arts degree, Military Operational Art and Sciences, ACSC, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2009 Advanced Program, Logistics and Technology, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2016 Master of Science degree, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Eisenhower School, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. October 1994 - July 1995, Vehicle Operations Flight CC, 314 Trans Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
2. July 1995 - July 1996, Air Operations Flight CC, 314 Trans Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
3. July 1996 - June 1997, Vehicle Maintenance Flight CC, 314 Trans Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
4. June 1997 - May 1998, Cmbt Plans Flight CC, Det 3, 621 Air Mobility Support Group, Aviano AB, Italy
5. May 1998 - May 1999, Director of Operations, Det 3, 621 Air Mobility Support Group, Aviano AB, Italy
6. May 1999 - May 2000, Port Ops Officer, Det 3, 621 Air Mobility Support Group, Aviano AB, Italy
7. May 2000 - September 2000, Chief, Trns Branch 621st Air Mobility Support Group, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. September 2000 - July 2003, Chief, Deployment/Distribution Systems and Policy, Air Force Logistics Management Agency, Gunter Annex, Alabama
9. July 2003 - May 2005, Operations Officer and Installation Deployment Officer, 36th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam
10. May 2005 - August 2006, Chief, Passenger Policy and Analysis, Directorate of Logistics Readiness, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. August 2006 - July 2007, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell, AFB, Montgomery, Alabama
12. July 2007 - June 2009, Commander 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
13. August 2009 - June 2011, Commander 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
14. July 2011 - Nov 2011, J-4, Deputy Director 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul Afghanistan
15. December 2011 - July 2012, J-4, Director 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul Afghanistan
16. August 2012 – July 2015, Deputy Group Commander, 319th Mission Support Group, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. Deployed from July 2014 – January 2015 as the Deputy Group Commander, 387th Air Expeditionary Group, Al Mubarak, Kuwait.
17. August 2015 – June 2016, Student, National Defense University, Eisenhower School, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
18. August 2016 - Present, Commander, 374th Mission Support Group, Yokota AB, Japan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant 11 August 1994
First Lieutenant 11 August 1996
Captain 11 August 1998
Major 1 February 2005
Lieutenant Colonel 1 December 2009
Colonel 1 February 2016
(Current as of August 2016)