Brigadier General Kevin E. Jacobs is the Illinois Air National Guard Chief of Staff. He is responsible for the command, control, and operations of plans and programs affecting more than 3,000 Airmen of the Illinois Air National Guard. His broad range of responsibilities include ensuring the combat readiness and domestic operations response capabilities of the 126th Air Refueling Wing, Scott Air Force Base, the 182d Airlift Wing, Peoria Illinois, and the 183d Wing, Springfield, Illinois. These organizations are comprised of flying wings, command and control facilities, and logistics and mission support units, all providing mission ready personnel to meet United States Air Force and State of Illinois requirements.
General Jacobs received his commission in 1994 after graduating as a distinguished graduate from the Academy of Military Science and was assigned to the 217th Engineering and Installation Squadron at O’Hare Air Reserve Station, Illinois, as an Information Systems Engineer. During the fall of 1994, General Jacobs was reassigned to the 126th Civil Engineering Squadron and during the seven years that followed, he held key positions such as the Engineering Officer, Operations Officer, and Commander. In 2001, he deployed in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH as the Plans and Programs Officer for the 363rd Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. Beginning in 2004, General Jacobs served in a number of Command positions throughout the 126th Mission Support Group such as the Commander of the 126th Services Flight, Commander of the 126th Logistics Readiness Squadron, and in 2012, the 126th Deputy Mission Support Group Commander and Group Commander. In 2016, General Jacobs was selected as the Inspector General of the 126th Air Refueling Wing where he was responsible for the operation, management, and administration of the Wing Commander’s Inspection Program. In 2017, General Jacobs was assigned as the Director of Staff – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Illinois Air National Guard, Springfield, Illinois, where he oversaw the daily operations of the headquarters staff and directed activities of his staff members in the areas of strategic planning, policy implementation, personnel services, logistics recruiting and retention, facilities, security, and force protection, along with homeland security and homeland defense. Prior to his current position, General Jacobs was assigned as the Commander, 126th Air Refueling Wing responsible for over 900 total force personnel and 8 primary assigned KC-135R aircraft.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
2001 Squadron Officer School (SOS), Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Mortuary Management Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2008 Logistics Readiness Officer School, Lackland AFB, Texas
2011 Unit Environmental Coordinator Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2012 Master of Science, Environmental Management Engineering, Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo.
2013 Air War College (AWC), Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Air Force Emergency Operations Center Director Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Commanders Readiness Reporting Course, Kirkland AFB, N.M.
2017 Nuclear Leadership Core Course, Scott AFB, Ill.
2021 Commanders Leadership Course, Joint Base (JB) Andrews, Md.
2021 Joint Domestic Operations Course (DOMOPS), USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo., by correspondence
2022 Defense Support of Civil Authorities Course (DSCA), USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2022 Joint Task Force Commander Course (JCTC), USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Dual Status Commander Course (DSC), USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1994 - September 1994, Information System Engineer, 217th Engineering and Installation Squadron, O’Hare Air Reserve Station (ARS), Ill.
2. October 1994 - September 1998, Engineering Officer, 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, O’Hare ARS, Ill.
3. October 1998 - February 1999, Interim Commander, 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, Scott Air Force Base (AFB), Ill.
4. February 1999 - August 2004, Operations Officer, 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill. (October 2001 – November 2001, Plans & Program Officer, 363rd Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia)
5. August 2004 - March 2007, Commander, 126th Services Flight, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. April 2007 - March 2012, Commander, 126th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. March 2012 - September 2016, Deputy Commander, 126th Mission Support Group, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. October 2016 - November 2017, Wing Inspector General, 126th Air Refueling Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. December 2017 - January 2020, Director of Staff – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Illinois Air National Guard, Springfield, Ill.
10. January 2020 - May 2023, Commander, 126th Mission Support Group, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. May 2023 - November 2023, Commander, 126th Air Refueling Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. November 2023 - Present, Chief of Staff – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Illinois Air National Guard, Springfield, Ill.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 9, 1994
First Lieutenant July 21, 1996
Captain Aug. 2, 1998
Major Aug. 8, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 13, 2007
Colonel Jan. 27, 2018
Brigadier General Nov. 3, 2023
(Current as of January 2024)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.