LIEUTENANT GENERAL RAYMOND B. FURLONG

Lieutenant General Raymond B. Furlong is commander of Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. In this capacity, he directs the Air Force professional military education program, the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program, and graduate level programs for continuing education of Air Force personnel at military and civilian institutions.

General Furlong was born in Saint Marys, Pa., in 1926, and graduated from Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa., in 1946, with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

In October 1948, he began flight training as an aviation cadet at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, and received his pilot wings and a commission as second lieutenant in September 1949. He was then assigned as a jet fighter pilot with the 18th Fighter Group at Clark Air Base, the Philippines. In January 1951, during the Korean War, he was transferred to the 8th Fighter Bomber Group in Japan as an F-80C pilot and later was squadron adjutant and served with the group in Korea. He completed 74 combat missions with 154 flying hours.

In January 1952, General Furlong returned to the United States and became personnel officer for the 63d Fighter Interceptor Group, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. In February 1953 he was assigned to the 527th Air Defense Group at Wurtsmith, with duty as an exchange pilot with the U.S. Navy at Jacksonville, Fla., during which time he underwent fighter-bomber, all-weather interceptor, reconnaissance, and carrier qualification training. He returned to the 527th Group in May 1954 and served as adjutant. In September 1955 he entered Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Mass., graduating in 1957.

General Furlong was assigned in July 1957 to Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe where he served in various positions in the Directorate of Military Personnel, in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. In July 1961 he was selected to be a student officer at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. After graduation in July 1962, General Furlong held C-130 pilot and operations assignments with the 772d Troop Carrier Squadron at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn., which included the support of Army Airborne and Continental U.S. Mobility Operations. In February 1963 he became operations officer for the 772d Troop Carrier Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va. While at Langley, he also served as chief, Rated Assignment Branch, Deputy for Personnel, Headquarters Tactical Air Command.

In November 1965 General Furlong was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Studies and Analysis, where he was an operations staff officer concerned with the studies and analysis of U.S. Air Force airlift in support of Army tactical and logistic operations inter- and intra-theater. From August 1967 to July 1968, he attended the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.

General Furlong was assigned as military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense in Washington, D.C., from July 1968 to May 1973. He then assumed duties as deputy assistant secretary of defense (Legislative Affairs). The position title was changed to principal deputy assistant secretary of defense (Legislative Affairs). In March 1975 General Furlong was assigned as commander of Sheppard Technical Training Center, Air Training Command, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

General Furlong was appointed commander of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in August 1975.

His military decorations and awards include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general effective Sept. 1, 1975, with date of rank Aug. 31, 1975.

(Current as of December 1975)