BRIGADIER GENERAL BOB L. MITCHELL Brigadier General Bob L. Mitchell is commander, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. General Mitchell was born in 1936, in Wellington, Texas, and graduated from Odessa (Texas) High School in 1955. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics from Hardin-Simmons University in 1959 and a master's degree in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1971. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1967, Air Command and Staff College in 1975, and Air War College in 1982. He was commissioned as a distinguished graduate through Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in May 1963. He then entered pilot training and received pilot wings at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in April 1965. General Mitchell completed weapons systems training in the C-130E at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn., and was assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. In March 1967 he was transferred to Detachment 1, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, as an HH-43 pilot. He returned to the C-130 at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as a satellite recovery aircraft commander. Moving into the rated supplement in March 1971, the general served as an aide-de-camp, executive officer, and systems program staff officer at Air Force Systems Command's Space and Missile Systems Organization, Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif. Reassigned in June 1975 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., he was the program element monitor for the Satellite Control Facility in the Directorate of Space, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, until March 1979. Returning to rated duties, General Mitchell was assigned to Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and served successively as assistant operations officer, 39th Tactical Airlift Squadron; operations officer, 40th Tactical Airlift Squadron; commander, 41st Tactical Airlift Squadron; and assistant deputy commander for operations, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing. In January 1984 he became director of airlift and support systems, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base. He then was assigned as chairman of the Air Force Board Structure's Space Panel, and chief of the Space Launch and Control Division, Directorate of Space Systems and Command, Control and Communications, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition, Air Force headquarters, in August 1984. After a brief tour as deputy commander for operations, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope Air Force Base, he became its vice commander in August 1986. General Mitchell was commander of the 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., from May 1988 until October 1989, when he became assistant deputy chief of staff, requirements, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base. In April 1990 he became deputy director of plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Air Force headquarters. He assumed his current command in July 1991. The general is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including more than 500 combat missions. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters, and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. He also holds the Master Space Badge. He was promoted to brigadier general Aug. 1, 1990, with same date of rank. (Current as of September 1992)