Col John Szczepanski is the Commander, 39th Weapons System Security Group, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye. As Commander, Col Szczepanski is responsible for more than 571 military and civilian personnel across three diverse squadrons encompassing 30 Air Force Specialty Codes. The group consists of maintenance, operations and operations support, and security forces, comprising the bulk of surety forces executing operations in support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission objectives.
Col Szczepanski was commissioned in 2002 as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Cornell University. He has served in a variety of maintenance assignments with F-16A/B/C/D, F- 15C, F-15E, A-10A, UH-1N, C-130N, KC-10A, and C-17A aircraft. Colonel Szczepanski has served on two Combatant Command staffs while assigned to embassy duty in Europe and the Middle East. After serving as an aircraft maintenance officer and commanding twice at the squadron level, in 2021 Colonel Szczepanski was selected to permanently re-categorize as a Foreign Area Officer for the Europe region.
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Szczepanski was the senior Military Advisor for Security Negotiations and Agreements in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State. In this capacity he provided military advice to security agreement negotiations in support of Department of Defense overseas operations and posture requirements.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 2004 Master of Arts, International Affairs, University of Oklahoma
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2008 Polish Language Course Defense Language Institute East, Arlington, VA 2013 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2018 Postgraduate Certificate in EU Policy Making, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium 2023 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. July 2002 – July 2005, Assistant Officer-In-Charge Red AMU 40th Flight Test Squadron, Assistant Officer-In-Charge Blue AMU 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
2. July 2005 – March 2008, Maintenance Flight Commander, 305th Maintenance Squadron; Officer-In-Charge, Quality Assurance, 305th Maintenance Group (January 2007 – May 2007, Operations Officer, 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron, Al-Udeid AB); Maintenance Operations Officer, 305th Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB, New Jersey
3. March 2008 – September 2008, Student, Polish Language Course, Defense Language Institute-East, Washington, DC
4. September 2008 – June 2011, Air Force Programs Officer, Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Warsaw, Poland
5. June 2011 – August 2012, Chief of Air Force Programs, Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Warsaw, Poland
6. August 2012 – March 2013, Maintenance Operations Officer, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
7. March 2013 – September 2013, Foreign Military Sales Case Manager, Office of Security Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq
8. September 2013 – December 2013, Maintenance Operations Officer, 756th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
9. December 2013 – June 2014, Commander, 756th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
10. June 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 366th Component Maintenance Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
11. June 2016 – July 2019, Commander, 52d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
12. July 2019 – July 2021, Chief, Central Europe Policy Branch, USEUCOM J5/8, Stuttgart, Germany
13. July 2021 – July 2022, Deputy, North and East Europe Policy Division, USEUCOM J5/8, Stuttgart, Germany
14. July 2022 –June 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
15. June 2023—June 2025, Senior Military Advisor, Security Negotiations and Agreements, Bureau of Political- Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
16. June 2025—Present, Commander, 39th Weapons System Security Group, Incirlik AB, Türkiye
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2019 – July 2022 Deputy, North and East Europe Policy Division, USEUCOM J5/8, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2023 – June 2025, Senior Military Advisor, Security Negotiations and Agreements, Bureau of Political- Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Air Mobility Command Lt Gen Leo Marquez Award (CGO-Acft Mx) 2012 56th Maintenance Group FGO of the Year
2013 56th Maintenance Group FGO of the Year
2017 United States Air Forces in Europe Lt Gen Leo Marquez Award (FGO-Acft Mx) 2020 U.S. European Command J5/8 Field Grade Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 2002
First Lieutenant June 2004
Captain June 2006
Major August 2012
Lieutenant Colonel May 2017
Colonel May 2023
(Current as of April 2025)