BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES S. SAVARDA Brigadier General James S. Savarda is director, North American Aerospace Defense Command Planning Staff, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colo. He is responsible for planning for the safeguarding of the air sovereignty of North America (Canada, Alaska and Continental United States); originating joint and binational plans and agreements to accomplish surveillance, warning, aerospace defense, and counterdrug missions; and programming the development, employment and sustainment of Canadian, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces at contingency and wartime bases. The general was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Ohio University in June 1968. He earned his pilot wings in 1969 and has served as a squadron tactical airlift pilot, tanker pilot, fighter-bomber pilot, fighter pilot, wing assistant deputy commander for operations, deputy commander for operations, vice commander and wing commander. His staff experience includes duties such as Air Staff planner, deputy executive assistant to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, command inspector general, intermediate service school commandant, and command vice director of combat operations. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, including approximately 240 combat missions (1,100 plus sorties) in the C-7A and KC-135A aircraft.EDUCATION1968 Bachelor of science degree in journalism, Ohio University 1974 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1978 Master's degree in public administration, Golden Gate University 1980 Air Command and Staff College 1981 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1985 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.ASSIGNMENTS1. September 1968 - September 1969, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla. 2. December 1969 - December 1970, instructor pilot, 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam 3. February 1971 - March 1973, standardization and evaluation instructor pilot, KC-135A, 310th Air Refueling Squadron, Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y. 4. March 1973 - October 1974, aide-de-camp and executive officer, 45th Air Division commander, Pease Air Force Base, N.H. 5. October 1974 - May 1975, FB-111A training, Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y. 6. May 1975 - April 1978, FB-111A standardization and evaluation instructor pilot, 393rd Bombardment Squadron (medium), Pease Air Force Base, N.H. 7. April 1978 - December 1980, SAC/TAC exchange pilot and F-111A instructor pilot and flight commander, 389th and 391st Tactical Fighter Squadrons, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho 8. January 1980 - June 1981, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 9. June 1981 - January 1983, air operations staff officer, deputy chief of staff for plans and operations, strategic offensive forces division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 10. January 1983 - June 1984, deputy executive assistant to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. 11. June 1984 - June 1985, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 12. June 1985 - August 1987, assistant deputy commander for operations and training; deputy commander for operations; and vice commander, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. 13. August 1987 - December 1988, commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, March Air Force Base, Calif. 14. December 1988 - June 1990, commander, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. 15. June 1990 - July 1991, inspector general, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. 16. July 1991 - July 1992, commandant, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 17. August 1992 - April 1994, command director and vice director, North American Aerospace Defense Command Combat Operations, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colo. 18. April 1994 - present, director, North American Aerospace Defense Command Planning Staff, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 4,000Aircraft flown: C-7A, KC-135A, FB-111A, F-111A, SR-71, U-2, KC-10, T-38, B-1B, F-16MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clustersEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 8, 1968 First Lieutenant Mar 8, 1970 Captain Sep 8, 1971 Major Apr 1, 1980 Lieutenant Colonel Dec 1, 1982 Colonel Dec 1, 1985 Brigadier General May 1, 1991 (Current as of August 1994)