MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS R. GRIFFITH

Lieutenant General Thomas R. Griffith is commander, 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. His command comprises 10 wings in the Western and Midwestern United States and Panama with more than 530 aircraft and 43,000 active military and civilian personnel. He is also responsible for the operational readiness of 12th Air Force-gained units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. As the Air Force component commander for U.S. Southern Command, he is responsible for U.S. Air Force assets provided to that unified command and air operations throughout Latin America.

The general entered the Air Force in 1967 after serving as an Army officer since 1963. He commanded the 35th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, George Air Force Base, Calif., and the 836th Air Division, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. He served as deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., then as chief, joint operations division, J-3, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. General Griffith was commander, U.S. Air Force Weapons and Tactics Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., before he assumed his current position. He is a command pilot, having flown more than 4,000 hours principally in fighter aircraft, with more than 900 hours in combat.

EDUCATION
1963 Bachelor's degree in engineering, U.S. Military Academy
1966 Armor Officer Advanced Course
1968 Squadron Officer School
1973 Air Command and Staff College
1974 Industrial College of the Armed Forces
1976 Air War College
1979 Master's degree in management, Webster College
1983 Distinguished graduate, Naval War College

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1963 - November 1963, U.S. Army officer, Fort Knox, Ky.
2. December 1963 - January 1965, cavalry platoon leader and troop executive officer, 17th Cavalry, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
3. January 1965 - September 1965, student, pilot training, U.S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Wolters, Texas, and Fort Rucker, Ala.
4. October 1965 - October 1966, pilot, armed helicopters, A Co., 501st Aviation Battalion, 145th Combat Aviation Battalion, Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam
5. November 1966 - December 1967, instructor pilot, 7th Squadron, 1st Cavalry, Fort Knox, Ky.
6. December 1967, transferred to the U.S. Air Force
7. April 1968 - April 1969, student, pilot training, Craig Air Force Base, Ala.
8. June 1969 - December 1969, student, F-100 combat crew training, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
9. December 1969 - October 1970, squadron weapons officer, 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam
10. October 1970 - August 1972, flight commander and assistant operations officer, 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 4403rd Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, La.
11. November 1972 - January 1974, after checkout in the A-7D at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, S.C., returned to England Air Force Base, La., as assistant operations officer, 75th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing 12. January 1974 - July 1977, squadron air officer commanding, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
13. July 1977 - July 1979, squadron operations officer, 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, La.
14. August 1979 - July 1982, chief of weapons and tactics, Headquarters 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, Rheindahlen, West Germany
15. July 1982 - June 1983, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
16. June 1983 - August 1984, deputy commander for operations, and later vice commander, 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, La.
17. August 1984 - August 1986, F-4E pilot; commander, 35th Tactical Training Wing, George Air Force Base, Calif.
18. September 1986 - January 1988, assistant deputy chief of staff for plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
19. February 1988 - May 1989, chief, joint operations division, J-3, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
20. May 1989 - January 1990, deputy director for operations, National Military Command Center, Washington, D.C.
21. January 1990 - June 1990, commander, 836th Air Division, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
22. June 1990 - June 1992, deputy chief of staff for plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
23. June 1992 - July 1994, commander, U.S. Air Force Weapons and Tactics Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
24. July 1994 - present, 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot, parachutist
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: F-15, A-10, F-4, A-7, T-37, T-33, F-100 and UH-1
Pilot wings from: U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with 27 oak leaf clusters
Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal, First Class
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 5, 1963
First Lieutenant Dec 5, 1964
Captain Jun 21, 1966
Major Dec 1, 1971
Lieutenant Colonel Aug 29, 1977
Colonel Dec 20, 1981
Brigadier General Aug 1, 1989
Major General Jun 1, 1992
Lieutenant General Aug 1, 1994

(Current as of October 1994)