Retired
September 01,1986
Died December 22,2015
Brigadier General Christian F. Dreyer Jr. is commander of Tactical Air Command's 26th Air Division and the North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, March Air Force Base, Calif.
General Dreyer was born in 1934 in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from St. Johns College High School, Washington, D.C., in 1952. He attended Virginia Military Institute under the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and in 1956 received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and a commission as a second lieutenant. In 1963 he completed his master of science degree in electrical engineering at the University of Arizona, Tucson. General Dreyer graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., in 1973.
He entered pilot training in August 1956 and received his wings at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in December 1957. After completing fighter-interceptor school at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., in June 1958, General Dreyer was assigned to the 93rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., where he flew F-86s. From June 1959 until March 1960, he was the Air Force inspector for the construction of 20 family housing units at a remote radar site, Winslow Air Force Station, Ariz. He returned to Kirtland Air Force Base where he flew modified B-57 air sampling aircraft for the 4526th Test Squadron. From 1961 to 1963, he attended the University of Arizona.
Beginning in July 1963 General Dreyer served as a project manager with the Satellite Control Facility, Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif., where he managed contract operations and equipment modification for a worldwide network of seven satellite tracking stations.
The general transferred to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., in April 1966 as an F-100 pilot and command post controller. From December 1966 until December 1967, he served in Southeast Asia as a chief command post controller, supervising communications, command and control for the three flying squadrons of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Tuy Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, and flew 244 combat missions in F-100s.
Returning to the United States in 1968, he served as a program manager in the Office of Aerospace Research, Washington, D.C., until June 1970. He was responsible for developing and obtaining support for the Air Force's basic and applied research program in space, solar, ionospheric and aeronomic sciences.
The general was then assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as a research and development funding programmer. He consolidated the Air Force's annual research and development budget, prepared material for congressional testimony and was responsible for daily operations of the research and development appropriations. Following graduation from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in June 1973, General Dreyer took command of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps detachment at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas.
In August 1975 he transferred to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., as chief, F-16 System Management Office where he helped define the requirements for a new tactical fighter aircraft. From May 1978 to June 1981, General Dreyer was commandant of the Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He transferred to Europe as commander of the 601st Tactical Control Wing, Sembach Air Base, Germany. Returning to the United States in May 1983, he assumed duties as a command director with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, Combat Operations, Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colo. He assumed his present command in May 1985.
General Dreyer is a command pilot with 3,000 hours flying time. His military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to brigadier general March 1, 1981, with date of rank Feb. 24, 1981.
(Current as of July 1985)