Captain Samantha Jones is an Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies and Operations Flight Commander at the Virginia Military Institute, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 880 in Lexington, Virginia. In this role, she oversees professional military training, ensures accession standards are maintained, and instructs and develops AFROTC program cadets across four college campuses creating future leaders of character for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force.

Captain Jones was commissioned through the Air Force Officer Training Corps upon graduation from the Virginia Military Institute in 2020. After commissioning, she attended the Intelligence Officer Course at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas and received distinguished graduate honors upon course completion in July 2021. Her first operational assignment was supporting Air Force Special Tactics at the 720th Operations Support Squadron at Hurlburt AFB, Florida where she provided analytical support at the squadron and group level and later served as the Executive Officer to the Commander. Captain Jones also deployed to Ramstein AB, Germany in June of 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine where she led 38 joint analysts across 25 organizations, advancing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) response in support of National Command Authority strategic priorities. Prior to her current assignment, Captain Jones served as the Deputy Officer in Charge of Intelligence Training at the 720th Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt AFB, Florida.