BRIGADIER GENERAL JESSE S. HOCKER

Brigadier General Jesse S. Hocker is commander of the 14th Air Division, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

General Hocker was born in 1932, in Stanford, Ky., where he graduated from high school in 1950. He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1954 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and received his commission through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. His service schools include Squadron Officer School and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces by correspondence, and Air Command and Staff College in residence at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. While attending Air Command and Staff College, General Hocker also completed a master's degree in business administration from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

He entered the U.S. Air Force in December 1954 and completed pilot training in February 1956. In March 1956 he was assigned to the 509th Bombardment Wing, Walker Air Force Base N.M., as a B-47 co-pilot, and subsequently moved with the wing to Pease Air Force Base, N.H., in 1958. From 1958 to 1966, General Hocker served with the wing at Pease, as a B-47 pilot, instructor pilot, flight commander, flight examiner, and wing standardization and evaluation officer.

In June 1966 the general moved to Maxwell Air Force Base to attend Air Command and Staff College. Upon graduation in June 1967, he transferred to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., to undergo combat crew training in F-4C's. He was subsequently assigned to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in February 1968. During this assignment he served as an F-4 instructor pilot and flight commander with the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing and completed 205 combat missions.

Following this tour of duty in Southeast Asia in February 1969, General Hocker was assigned to the 99th Bombardment Wing, Westover Air Force Base, Mass., as a B-52 pilot. In February 1970 he deployed with the wing on temporary duty to Southeast Asia as an operations officer and B-52 instructor pilot. During this Southeast Asia tour of duty, he completed 22 combat missions. While assigned to the 99th Bombardment Wing, General Hocker served as an operations officer, squadron commander, director of training and assistant director of operations.

In February 1973 the general transferred to the 7th Bombardment Wing at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. He served as wing director of operations until September 1975 when he went to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as director of safety. He held this position until September 1977 when he was assigned as commander, 2nd Combat Support Group, 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La. From February 1979 to February 1981, the general commanded the 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. He was then named director of command control at SAC headquarters. General Hocker acted as the executive agent for the SAC commander in chief for command and control of the command's worldwide strike forces. He assumed his present command in February 1982.

The general is a command pilot and has 5,500 flying hours in a variety of aircraft, including B-47s, B-52s and F-4s. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal.

He was promoted to brigadier general June 1, 1981, with date of rank May 30, 1981.

(Current as of February 1982)