SMETHPORT — Smethport native and United States Air Force Lt. Colonel Jason Woodruff will deliver the graduation address at the Smethport Area Junior-Senior High School’s commencement exercises May 31.
He currently serves as chief of the Program Evaluation Division, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with responsibilities for managing, execution and reporting for 290 aircraft development, modernization and sustainment programs worth in excess of $26 billion in support of 31 aircraft platforms.
He has acquisition professional development program certifications in program management and life cycle logistics. His previous acquisition experiences include managing F-35 airframe, F-135 engine, E-Bc radar, Advanced Distributed Learning Service, European and African foreign military sales and international construction. Woodruff has been an executive officer at both the Wing and Directorate levels.
Additionally, he completed an operational career broadening tour in aircraft management. He was the officer in charge of an F-22 aircraft maintenance unit.
From May to December 2012, Woodruff was deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where he served as maintenance operations officer with the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron. In that post, he led more than 570 aircraft technicians to maintain a-10C, C-130-H, and HH-60 aircraft in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM objectives.
Woodruff was promoted to his current rank on Aug. 1, 2017.
Among his military medals and decorations are the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Woodruff is a 1993 graduate of Smethport high, where he participated in football, track and field, wrestling and baseball. Outside of school, he was a swimmer.
After lettering in football for the Hubbers, he received a football scholarship to the University of New Hampshire and played linebacker for the Wildcats. He also competed in track and field at the college level, specializing in the discuss, shot put and javelin, as well as the long jump.
In 1998, Woodruff graduated from UNH with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics education. That same year, he was honored as an NCAA All-American by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Woodruff also holds a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.
He and his wife, the former Melanie Zampogna of Kane, have three children: Sophia, 14; Emma, 10; and Joseph, five.
