Lt. Col. Daniel J. Jackson is an assistant professor of history at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He graduated as a distinguished graduate from the Academy in 2009 and attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. After pilot training he served as a U-28A instructor pilot, Combat Aviation Advisor, and Adaptive Precision Strike evaluator pilot in Air Force Special Operations Command, flying 236 combat missions and 125 combat support missions in support of Operations Inherent Resolve, Freedom Sentinel, Enduring Freedom, Enduring Freedom-Philippines, and Damiyan.

Lieutenant Colonel Jackson graduated with a PhD in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2025. His dissertation investigated the development of U.S.-allied air forces in Southeast Asia during the Cold War and included field research in Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines. Field research in China and Thailand for his MA thesis resulted in a U.S. government team locating two crash sites of U.S. Army Air Force aircraft missing since 1944.

Doctor of Philosophy, History, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2025)

Master of Arts, History, Sam Houston State University (2017)

Bachelor of Science, Military History, U.S. Air Force Academy (2009)

Assistant Professor of History (2025-Present)

Combat Aviation Advisor, Adaptive Precision Strike Evaluator Pilot (2018-2022)

U-28A Instructor Pilot (2011-2018)

Air Force Historical Foundation Book Prize (2023)

Military Decorations

Meritorious Service Medal

Air Medal with combat device and 11 oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Army Achievement Medal

Airpower

Irregular Warfare

Military Advisory Missions

Modern Southeast Asia

Modern China

Modern U.S.

World War II

Global Cold War

Modern World Empires