Colonel Benjamin Jonsson

Ben Jonsson serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the City of St. Louis, overseeing the city's services and operating departments.
Jonsson served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 25 years, including at the highest levels of the national security community and international operations. In his final assignment, he served as chief of staff at the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base since 2023, driving strategic alignment and execution for a 1,300-person global headquarters supporting 104,000 total force airmen, a fleet of 1,100 aircraft, and a budget surpassing $11 billion.

Jonsson provided crisis leadership during the current Gaza-Israel conflict and led the Air Mobility Command’s corporate response to the largest Air Force restructure in modern history. He has served as vice superintendent and chief operating officer at the U.S. Air Force Academy, leading institutional functions for a 10,000-person installation and university. He commanded and led major air bases both stateside and overseas, supporting combat operations and key strategic commands.

His military career spanned command pilot duties (900+ combat hours), diplomatic roles, and serving as a director at the White House National Security Council. An Olmsted Scholar, Jonsson is fluent in three dialects of Arabic.

Jonsson graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s in political science and master’s degrees from the University of Jordan in conflict resolution, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in aeronautical science, and the U.S. Army War College in strategic studies as a Carlisle Scholar and Distinguished Graduate. He is a proud husband and father of five children.