LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS J. OWEN

Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Owen is Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. As ASC Commander and Program Executive Officer for aircraft procurement and modernization, he leads the Air Force's center of excellence for development and acquisition of aeronautical systems. The center is responsible for the management of more than 556 Air Force, joint and international programs, executes an annual budget of $23 billion, and employs a work force of approximately 10,000 people located at Wright-Patterson AFB and 38 other locations worldwide.

General Owen entered the Air Force in 1978 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Early in his career he worked on B-52 Stratofortress, KC-135 Stratotanker and F-15 Eagle aircraft. The general has commanded an aircraft generation squadron maintaining F-16 Fighting Falcon and OA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft; a maintenance squadron performing intermediate level aircraft and munitions maintenance; and a combat logistics support squadron providing F-16 and F-4 Phantom aircraft battle damage repair, supply and transportation support. He's been assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon two times.

General Owen was the first logistics group commander for the first and only wing operating E-8C Joint STARS aircraft. For more than three years, he was Director of the C-5 System Program Office at San Antonio and Warner Robins Air Logistics Centers. He has also served as Director for the C-17 and F-22A System Program Offices at the Aeronautical Systems Center, and Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support at Headquarters Air Education and Training Command. He was Commander of the Warner Robins ALC. Prior to assuming his current duties, he was Director of Logistics and Sustainment, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command. General Owen holds Department of Defense Acquisition Corps Level III certifications in Program Management and Life Cycle Logistics.

EDUCATION
1978 Bachelor of Science in organizational behavior, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1982 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1986 Master of Science degree in political science and international relations, Troy State University, Ala.
1990 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Air War College, by seminar
1994 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1994 Master's degree in national security strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1999 Advanced Program Manager's Course, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2001 Advanced Management Program, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn.
2002 Executive Program Manager's Course, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2006 U.S.-Russia Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2008 Systems Acquisition General/Flag Officers Course, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2010 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1978 - December 1978, student, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Chanute AFB, Ill.
2. December 1978 - August 1981, assistant supervisor, 7th Organizational Maintenance Squadron; officer-in-charge of quality control, 7th Bomb Wing; staff officer, 19th Air Division, Carswell AFB, Texas
3. August 1981 - October 1983, executive officer to Vice Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La.
4. October 1983 - November 1984, Air Staff Training, logistics plans action officer and aircraft modification programming action officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. November 1984 - July 1987, maintenance supervisor, 33rd Aircraft Generation Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
6. July 1987 - July 1989, aide to the Commander, Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. July 1989 - June 1990, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 1990 - July 1992, Commander, 51st Aircraft Generation Squadron; Commander, 51st Maintenance Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
9. July 1992 - July 1993, Commander, 649th Combat Logistics Support Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
10. July 1993 - June 1994, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1994 - October 1994, Chief, Aircraft and Missile Modification Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
12. October 1994 - June 1996, Deputy Director, Chief of Staff Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1996 - July 1998, Commander, 93rd Logistics Group, 93rd Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. July 1998 - January 1999, Director, C-5 System Program Office, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AFB, Texas
15. February 1999 - September 2001, Director, C-5 SPO, Warner Robins ALC, Robins AFB, Ga.
16. October 2001 - November 2002, Director, C-17 SPO, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. November 2002 - November 2005, Director, F-22A SPO, ASC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. November 2005 - February 2006, Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
19. February 2006 - August 2006, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support (A4/7), Headquarters AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
20. August 2006 - August 2008, Commander, Warner Robins ALC, Robins AFB, Ga.
21. August 2008 - July 2009, Director, Logistics and Sustainment, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 
22.  August 2009 - present, Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center,  Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars 
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1986 Aircraft Maintenance Company Grade Manager of the Year, Headquarters Tactical Air Command

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Program Management, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program 
Life Cycle Logistics, Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1978
First Lieutenant May 31, 1980
Captain May 31, 1982
Major March 1, 1988
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1991
Colonel Sept. 1, 1996
Brigadier General July 1, 2003
Major General Oct. 2, 2006
Lieutenant General Aug. 14, 2009

(Current as of June 2010)