Jacqueline Van Ovost

Jacqueline Desiree Van Ovost (born September 29, 1965) is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the 14th commander of United States Transportation Command from 2021 to 2024. She was nominated to that post by President Biden on March 5, 2021. Van Ovost had previously served as the commander of Air Mobility Command from 2020 to 2021. In early 2021, she was the only active-duty female four-star general officer in the United States.

Education Van Ovost received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988. After commissioning into the US Air Force, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training (1989) followed by U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (1994).

Air Mobility Command On July 20, 2020, the Senate confirmed Van Ovost as commander of Air Mobility Command (AMC), a major command (MAJCOM) of the Air Force; Van Ovost also gained her fourth-star. She replaced retiring AMC commanding Gen. Maryanne Miller, under whom she served as AMC's deputy commander, on August 20, 2020. Van Ovost served as AMC Commander until she relinquished command on October 5, 2021.

Transportation Command nomination On March 6, 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that President Biden had nominated Van Ovost to become commander of United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM). Her nomination was sent to the Senate on March 5, 2021. Her nomination was originally recommended by then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, but Esper later delayed it until after the 2020 United States presidential election due to his concerns of the Trump administration's possible reaction against nominating women to such high leadership positions. Van Ovost's nomination hearings to head TRANSCOM were held before the Senate Armed Services Committee on September 23, 2021. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on October 1, 2021 and assumed command on October 15, 2021, becoming the second woman to lead a unified combatant command after General Lori Robinson.

Awards and decorations

Effective dates of promotion