Colonel John Isacco is the commander, 55th Operations Group, 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The 55th Operations Group executes global airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions directed by the President and Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and national intelligence agencies. The group’s 11 squadrons and three detachments operate five separate models of aircraft. The 55th Operations Group is the largest operations group in the United States Air Force. Col Isacco received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2001 earning an undergraduate degree in Economics. Col Isacco’s flying career spans across E-3s and RC-135s, where he was an instructor and Chief of Training at both Flying Training Units. His previous responsibilities include commanding the 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron, staff assignment to NATO’s Allied Air Command, and as an academic instructor to Air Command and Staff College. Prior to his current assignment, Col Isacco was the Reconnaissance Operations Division Chief to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations, where he oversaw management and strategic planning of RC-135, RQ-4, U-2 programs and ISR communications.
Col Isacco is a Command Pilot with more than 3,500 hours in E-3, RC-135 and trainer aircraft, including over 900 combat hours during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Economics, United States Air Force Academy, CO.
2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2005 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence. 2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2009 Master of Public Administration, University of Oklahoma, OK.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence.
2013 Master of Science in Operations Analysis, Air Force Institute of Technology, OH.
2023 Master of Science in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.May 2001 – Apr 2002, Executive Officer, 16 Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, SC.2.Apr 2002 – Dec 2003, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, TX.3.Dec 2003 – Jan 2005, E-3 Pilot, 960 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
4.Jan 2005 – Jan 2006, Chief Flight Operations & Tactics, 960 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
5.Jan 2006 – Jul 2007, Assistant Flight Commander, 960 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
6.Jul 2007 – Dec 2008, Flight Commander, 960 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
7.Dec 2008 – Apr 2009, FTU E-3 Instructor Pilot, 966 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
8.Apr 2009 – Jun 2009, Deputy Chief Program Flying Training, 966 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.9.Jun 2009 – Sep 2009, Chief Program Flying Training, 966 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK.
10.Sep 2009 – Feb 2010, Student, RC-135 Initial Qualification, 338 Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE.
11.Feb 2010 – Oct 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 343 Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE.
12.Oct 2011 – May 2012, Chief of Training, 338 Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE.
13.May 2012 – Jul 2013, IDE Student, AFIT Masters Program, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
14.Jul 2013 – Jun 2015, Staff Officer, Air Policing, HQ Allied Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany.
15.Jun 2015 – Jul 2016, Executive Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff Ops, HQ Allied Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany.
16.Jul 2016 – Nov 2016, Student, RC-135 Requalification, 338 Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE.
17.Nov 2016 – May 2017, Chief, Operations Group Training, 55 Operations Group, Offutt AFB, NE
18.May 2017 – Nov 2017, Director of Operations, 38 Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE.
19.Nov 2017 – Sep 2019, Commander, 82 Reconnaissance Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan.
20.Sep 2019 – Jul 2020, Deputy Group Commander, 55 Operations Group, Offutt AFB, NE.
21.Jul 2020 – May 2021, Academic Instructor and Advisor, Maxwell AFB, AL.
22.May 2021 – Jun 2022, Deputy Chair, Department of Leader and Research Development, Maxwell AFB, AL.
23.Jun 2022 – Jun 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL.
24.Jun 2023 – Jun 2024, Chief, Reconnaissance Operations Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence,Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
25.Jul 2024 – Present, Commander, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, NE.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot Flight hours: More than 3,500 Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, E-3, RC-135V/W, WC-135MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air and Space Commendation Medal Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
(Current as of Jul 2024)