Major John Joern is currently an Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE) Fellow at the Institute for Future Conflict (IFC) at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a current and qualified instructor pilot in the F-15C/E/EX with over 2,100 flight hours in the F-15, T-6A, T-38, F-16, A-10, and 21 others.

Previously, Major Joern was the 40th FLTS Chief F-15C/E/EX Test Instructor Pilot working development of new weapons, defensive systems, and software for 4th, 5th, and 6th Generation Aircraft, including Foreign Military Sales programs. As a T-6A Instructor, He was also part of the initial cadre for Pilot Training Next, an experimental pilot training initiative aimed at incorporating modern technology and techniques into the existing pilot training syllabus.

Major Joern was commissioned from the Academy in 2014 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering and later earned a M.S. in Flight Test Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.