Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones was born in Natick, Massachusetts and was raised in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. He reported to Officer Candidate School as part of the Platoon Leaders Course program in July 2007 and May 2008. He then received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Material Science and Engineering and a Minor in Nanotechnology from Lehigh University in May 2009 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation. After completion of The Basic School in January 2010, he reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 2013. After receiving his wings, First Lieutenant Jones reported to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) for initial training in the F/A-18A-D Hornet where he was promoted to Captain in June 2013. While awaiting training Captain Jones was temporarily assigned to Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) where he served as Schedules Officer and flew the F-5F.
Upon graduation from VMFAT-101 he was assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All Weather) 225 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in October 2014. With VMFA(AW)-225 he deployed to Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12) at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni three times while assigned to the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) in 2015, 2016 and 2018. While with VMFA(AW)-225, he served as the NATOPS officer, Airframes Officer in Charge (OIC), Mission Planning Cell OIC, and Pilot Training Officer. During this tour Captain Jones graduated from Marine Division Tactics Course 2-17 and Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 1-18.
In February 2019, Captain Jones reported to United States Naval Test Pilot School as a member of Class 157. Major Jones graduated from United States Naval Test Pilot School in June 2020. In July 2020, Major Jones reported to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO THREE (VX-23) F/A-18 Flight Test Department, where he served as a project officer flying the F/A-18 A-D Hornet, F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler, the Operations Officer, and the Director of Safety and Standardization. During his time at VX-23 Major Jones served as the project officer for F/A-18 A-D Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS), AIM-260 JATM, and F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G KC-46 Receiver certification. Major Jones was also responsible for spearheading and leading interoperability testing between F/A-18 A-F, EA-18G, F-35 B/C, and E-2D. Lastly, he also served as the squadron's Tactics Training Officer and as the squadron's main F/A-18E and F-35C representative at the Virtual Warfare Center. During his time at VX-23, Major Jones underwent a CAT II Transition to the F-35B with VMFAT-502 at MCAS Miramar, CA.
In January of 2023 Major Jones arrived at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, where he joined the Green Knights of VMFA-121, serving as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Executive Officer, and Detachment Officer in Charge for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit 24.2 Patrol. He later served as the MAG-12 Personnel Support Detachment Commanding Officer and MAG Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones reported to MAG-13 in May of 2025 and served as the MAG Operations Officer and MAG Pilot Training Officer. Lieutenant Colonel Jones has accumulated over 25 traps and logged more than 1,800 flight hours in the F-35B, F/A-18 A-F, EA-18G, F-5F, T-45C, T-6A/B, and numerous other jet and propeller driven aircraft as well as the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter and X-26A glider. He is very happily married and has two wonderful children.