Obituary of Brig Gen James Lawrence Cole, USAF, Jr.

Taps sounded for Jack Cole on January 24, 2022.He was born June 8, 1942, in Orlando, Florida, to Larry and Florence Cole. His father was in the Army Air Corps which became the U.S. Air Force.Jack spent some of his childhood in Okinawa and Iran. He went to high school in Germany where he played football and soccer and became fluent in German. General Cole earned a Bachelor's Degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964, and Master's Degrees in History from Ohio State University in 1970 and Business Administration from Auburn University in 1979. He completed Armed Forces Staff College in 1975, Air War College in 1979 and the Executive Development Program at Cornell University in 1988. After graduating from pilot training at Craig Air Force Base, Alabama, in September 1965, the General served as an EC-121H first pilot at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts. From October 1966 to September 1967, he was assigned to the 4th Air Commando Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, where he flew as an AC-47 Aircraft Commander. He then served with the 1st Air Commando Wing, England Air Force Base, Louisiana, as an AC-47/C-47 instructor pilot. He completed graduate school at Ohio State University in June 1970. The General then served as an Assistant Professor of History at the Air Force Academy. He entered Armed Forces Staff College in August 1974 and upon completion was assigned to Norton Air Force Base, California, as a C-141 Pilot and Flight Examiner until July 1978. Upon graduation from Air War College in July 1979, General Cole returned to Norton. He first served as Chief, Combat Operations, 63rd Military Airlift Wing, and in June 1980 became Commander of the 53rd Military Airlift Squadron. In September 1981, the General was assigned to the Joint Staff as Chief, Caribbean Basin Branch, J-5, Plans and Policy Directorate, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. He served as Vice Commander, 438th Military Airlift Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, from April 1984 until August 1985, when he became Commander, 89th Military Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. General Cole returned to the Pentagon in May 1986 as Special Assistant for Joint Matters with the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was then Inspector General, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, from July 1989 to April 1990, when he became Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. He became Chief of Safety, Headquarters of U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C. in 1991. General Cole was a command pilot, with 6,500 total flying hours, and a military parachutist. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold, Silver and Bronze stars. After retirement from the Air Force in 1994, Jack was President and CEO of the National Aeronautic Association, Executive Director of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and the Senior Director, Safety, of the Air Transport Association. He loved to fish and was an avid reader and a mentor for Wounded Warriors. He attended military history and German groups at the Senior Center. He volunteered at the Humane Society where he socialized cats as a "cat whisperer." Jack was a true patriot, battle-tested warrior, a respected leader and an ultimate gentleman. He was a loving husband, awesome dad, kind granddad and proud brother. He was kind, good, thoughtful and a dear friend. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Carie; daughter, Carol; son, Chris and; daughter-in-law, Tracy; grandchildren, Matthew and Chloe; and his brother, Scott. Jack and Carie and their family moved nineteen times during his thirty years in the Air Force. Visitation, 9:00-10:00AM, Friday, March 4, 2022, The Springs Funeral Services-North, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80923.Funeral Service, 11:00AM, Friday, March 4, 2022, United States Air Force Academy Memorial Pavilion, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840.The service will be streamed live. The link to watch the service is on James Tribute Wall on The Springs Funeral Services' website. Interment, United States Air Force Academy Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Air Force Academy or the Alzheimer's Association. Events Visitation Friday, March 4, 2022 9:00AM - 10:00AM The Springs Funeral Services - North 6575 Oakwood Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80923 Phone: 719-207-8611 Funeral Service Friday, March 4, 2022 11:00AM United States Air Force Academy Cemetery Memorial Pavilion U.S. Air Force Academy Air Force Academy, CO 80841 Final Resting Place Air Force Academy Cemetery Cemetery Road Air Force Academy, CO 80840