Colonel Jason E. Purcell is the Commander of the 317th Maintenance Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. He is responsible for the leadership of 763 maintenance professionals and management of a fleet of 27 C-130J aircraft, valued at 2.8 billion dollars, to support the 317th Airlift Wing's mission to deliver airlift and airdrop capabilities to Combatant commanders around the world.
Colonel Purcell commissioned as an aircraft maintenance officer in December 2004 after graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M University. He has since served in various maintenance positions at the squadron, group, and MAJCOM levels. Colonel Purcell has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and has experience maintaining KC-10, C-130, C-17, C-5, and B-1 aircraft. Prior to his current position, Colonel Purcell was a Senior Development Education student at the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Ala.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution, Texas A&M University, College Station
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2005 Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2007 Master of Science in Operations Management, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2018 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. March 2005 - May 2006, Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight Commander, 314th Maintenance Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2. May 2006 - January 2007, Assistant Officer-in-Charge, 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. January 2007 - April 2009, Officer-in-Charge, Quality Assurance, 19th Maintenance Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark. (August 2008-December 2008, Officer-in-Charge, 777 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 332 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Balad, Iraq)
4. April 2009 - July 2010, Officer-in-Charge, C-17 Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif. (March 2010 - July 2010, Officer-in-Charge, 908th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 380 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Southwest Asia)
5. July 2010 - February 2011, Officer-in-Charge, C-5 Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif. (November 2010 - January 2011, Maintenance Operations Officer, 380 Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Southwest Asia)
6. February 2011 - May 2012, Maintenance Operations Officer, 60th Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
7. May 2012 - March 2013, Wing Executive Officer, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. March 2013 - April 2015, Planning Branch Chief and Command Aerospace Systems Inspector, Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
9.April 2015 - April 2016, Air University Fellow, Flight Commander, 32nd Student Squadron, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10.April 2016 - July 2017, Air University Fellow, Director of Operations, 31st Student Squadron, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11.July 2017 – June 2018, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12.June 2018 – May 2021, Commander, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Dover AFB, Delaware
13.June 2021 – March 2022, Commander, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
14.March 2022 – May 2022, Commander, 378th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
15.July 2022 – May 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
16.June 2023 – June 2025 Deputy Commander, 7th Maintenance Group, Dyess AFB, Texas (March 2024 – October 2024, Deputy Commander, 378th Expeditionary Air Base Group, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia)
17.June 2025 - Present, Commander, 317th Maintenance Group, Dyess AFB, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant December 17, 2004
First Lieutenant December 25, 2006
Captain December 25, 2008
Major May 1, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2019
Colonel June 1, 2025
(Current as of 30 June 2025)