Col. Christopher Johnson is the Commander, 195th Wing, California Air National Guard, Calif. He leads a non-kinetics operations wing, comprising capabilities spanning defensive cyberspace, electromagnetic warfare, space command and control, expeditionary communications, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Col. Johnson grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., where he entered the Regular Air Force on active duty in 2002 after commissioning from AFROTC at Washington State University. He is a career warfighting networks officer and Sub-Saharan Africa Foreign Affairs Officer. His staff tours include USAFE, SAF/IA, Joint Planning Support Element, Joint Staff J5 Africa, Special Operations Command Central, Space Systems Command (SSC), and HQ Space Force.
He has served as a Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) at SSC, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. He also previously served as the IMA to the Commander of Air Force District of Washington. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Johnson served as the Commander of the 195th Operations Group, Sepulveda Air National Guard Station, Calif.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Arts, French, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.
2005 Language Certificate, Continental Portuguese, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif.
2006 Master of Arts, National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C.
2020 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2002 – February 2004, Officer-in-Charge, Base Visual Information, 735th Communications Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2. February 2004 – September 2004, Protocol Officer, USAFE, Ramstein AB, Germany
3. September 2004 – September 2005, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
4. September 2005 – June 2006, Portuguese Language Student, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif.
5. June 2006 – August 2007, Commander, Operations Flight, 1st Communications Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Vir.
6. August 2007 – July 2008, Operations Officer, 459th Communications Flight, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
7. July 2008 – August 2012, Country Director, AFRICOM Division, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. August 2012 – July 2013, Student, National Intelligence University, JB Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
9. July 2013- June 2015, Joint Knowledge Management Planner, 953rd Reserve Support Squadron, Joint Planning Support Element, Norfolk Naval Station, Vir.
10. June 2015 – October 2017, Strategic Plans Branch Chief, Deputy Directorate for Political-Military Affairs for Africa (J5 DD AF), Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. November 2017 – April 2019, Commander, 919th Special Operations Communications Squadron, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Eglin AFB, Fla.
12. April 2019 – August 2019, Chief of Programming, Directorate of Resources (J8), Special Operations Command Central, MacDill AFB, Fla.
13. August 2019 – May 2020, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
14. May 2020 – May 2022, Senior IMA to the Director of Cross-Mission Ground and Communications Enterprise, Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
15. May 2022 – March 2023, Director, Reserve Support Team, Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
16. March 2023 – February 2024, IMA to the Commander, Air Force District of Washington, JB Andrews, Md.
17. March 2024 – May 2025, Commander, 195th Operations Group, Sepulveda Air National Guard Station, California Air National Guard, Calif.
18. June 2025 – Present, Wing Commander, 195th Wing, Beale AFB, California Air National Guard, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2013 – June 2015, Joint Knowledge Management Planner, 953rd Reserve Support Squadron, Joint Planning Support Element, Norfolk Naval Station, Vir., as a major
2. June 2015 – October 2017, Strategic Plans Branch Chief, Deputy Directorate for Political-Military Affairs for Africa, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major and lieutenant colonel
3. April 2019 – August 2019, Chief of Programming, Directorate of Resources (J8), Special Operations Command Central, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major May 29, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel September 13, 2016
Colonel April 30, 2021
(Current as of June 2025)