Ray Jones is a retired Air Force Colonel. He graduated from Cass Technical High School in his hometown of Detroit. His formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA degree from Auburn University.
His military education includes graduation from basic pilot training at Bryan AFB in Texas and advanced F-86D all-weather fighter-interceptor training at Perrin AFB in Texas. Later in his career, he graduated from the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB in California and the Air War College in Alabama.
His major Stateside assignments included an operational tour with the 94th “Hat-in-the-Ring” squadron at Selfridge AFB in Michigan, a tour as an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis AFB in Nevada and duty as an academic and flying instructor at the Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB in California. He also served two combat tours in Vietnam, and a tour at 7tth Air Force Headquarters in Thailand during the war. The colonel now resides in Lancaster, California with his wife, the former Catherine Shrier, from Tulsa Oklahoma. Between them, they have five children and ten grandchildren.