MAJOR GENERAL M. ROGER PETERSON

Major General M. Roger Peterson is assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics and engineering, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

General Peterson was born in Chicago, and grew up in Santa Monica, and Los Angeles, Calif. He graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and received a master of science degree in management from the University of Colorado. The general is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the Professional Military Comptroller School of the Air University and the Harvard University Executive Program in International Security.

He enlisted in the Air Force Reserve and was called to active duty as a cost accountant and achieved the rank of sergeant. At the end of the Korean War, he returned to the University of California and received his degree and commission as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He re-entered active duty in June 1955 and completed pilot training at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, in 1956.

During his first operational assignments General Peterson flew hospital aircraft for the Military Air Transport Service from bases in California and Texas. In October 1961 General Peterson was appointed air officer commanding, 11th Squadron, the Air Force Cadet Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.

Following graduation from Air Command and Staff College, General Peterson was assigned to Air Force headquarters as assistant secretary for Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Security Council matters, in the Directorate of Plans. He was then selected to become a system analyst as part of a special group exploring future force needs for the secretary of the Air Force.

The general transferred to Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, in October 1968 and flew 270 C-130 combat missions throughout Southeast Asia as an aircraft commander while serving on temporary duty at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. He moved to Fuchu Air Station, Japan, in August 1969 and served at Headquarters 5th Air Force as deputy chief of staff for plans; and as the deputy U.S. representative to the United States-Japan Joint Committee for the Administration of the Status of Forces Agreement. He developed a Plan for consolidating support bases in the Tokyo area into a single base at Yokota and negotiated with the government of Japan for the construction of more than $280 million in new facilities at Yokota without cost to the U.S. government. He planned and negotiated the turnover of the air traffic control and air defense responsibility on Okinawa to the government of Japan. He also served us 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan representative to the American ambassador's staff in Tokyo where he assisted in drafting the implementing agreements for the mutual defense of Japan.

In September 1973 General Peterson returned to Air Force headquarters as chief of program cost in the Directorate of Budget, Office of the Comptroller of the Air Force, where he managed the interface between the Air Force program and budget. In July 1976 he was reassigned within the Office of the Comptroller of the Air Force as chief of plans, with responsibility for developing innovative concepts to strengthen the comptroller function within the Air Force. He was selected by the Air Force chief of staff to serve on a select group to identify ways to streamline and strengthen the procurement of major weapon systems and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Air Force operations.

General Peterson become director of management analysis, Office of the Comptroller of the Air Force, in July 1977 with responsibility for the independent estimates of new weapon systems, financial management policy for foreign military sales, and economic analysis for key investment decisions throughout the Air Force.

He was named director of program integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition at Air Force headquarters in October 1978. The general was responsible for planning, programming and budgeting of all research development and procurement of aircraft and missiles for the Air Force.

General Peterson was selected by the undersecretary of Defense to lead one of four groups of procurement experts who developed the 32 Department of Defense initiatives to strengthen, streamline and reform the acquisition of major weapons systems. In August 1981 he was appointed assistant director for plans, policies and programs and later deputy director of the Defense Logistics Agency, Alexandria, Va., with a mission to procure fuels and other military supplies, administer Defense contracts, provide technical services and redistribute surplus stocks for all the Armed Forces. He assumed his present duties in September 1983.

The general is a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to major general July 1, 1981, with date of rank Sept. 1, 1977.

General Peterson's hometown is Chantilly, Va.

(Current as of December 1983)