Major General Gary L. Curtin is director, Defense Special Weapons Agency, Alexandria, Va.
The general entered the Air Force in 1965 as a distinguished graduate of the University of Maryland Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He has served in a variety of ICBM operations, intelligence and politico-military affairs positions during his career. He flew 105 combat missions as an airborne targeting officer on the Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center during the Vietnam War. Later, he commanded the 90th Strategic Missile Wing which consisted of 200 Minuteman III ICBMs deployed in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado. During his command, the wing began deploying the new Peacekeeper ICBM. He subsequently served as representative of the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the delegation that successfully negotiated the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) Treaty with the former Soviet Union. Subsequently, he directed the Joint Staff's contribution to the negotiation of the START II Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention. Before assuming his current position, he served as director of intelligence for U.S. Strategic Command.
EDUCATION
1965 Bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering, University of Maryland
1970 Master of science degree in economics, South Dakota State University
1970 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1976 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1983 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1992 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard University, Mass.
1993 Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1965 - August 1967, Minuteman I instructor deputy missile combat crew commander, 67th Strategic Missile Squadron, 44th Strategic Missile Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
2. August 1967 - April 1970, airborne launch control system missile combat crew commander, 68th Strategic Missile Squadron, 44th Strategic Missile Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
3. May 1970 - August 1970, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
4. September 1970 - February 1971, student, Armed Forces Air Intelligence Training Course, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
5. March 1971 - February 1972, air targets officer and chief of intelligence, 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
6. March 1972 - July 1975, air targets officer and intelligence plans officer, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
7. August 1975 - January 1976, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
8. February 1976 - May 1980, Korea desk officer and PACOM branch chief, Pacific-East Asia division, directorate of plans and policy, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. May 1980 - October 1981, commander, 400th Strategic Missile Squadron, 90th Strategic Missile Wing, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
10. October 1981 - July 1982, assistant deputy commander for operations, 90th Strategic Missile Wing, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
11. August 1982 - June 1983, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. June 1983 - December 1985, chief, advanced missile development division, CINCSAC's special assistant for Peacekeeper (MX), and later director, ICBM requirements, deputy chief of staff, plans, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
13. January 1986 - June 1986, vice commander, 90th SMW, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
14. June 1986 - June 1988, commander, 90th SMW, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
15. June 1988 - September 1989, director of command control, deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
16. September 1989 - January 1990, assistant deputy chief of staff, plans, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
17. January 1990 - August 1991, Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, Geneva, Switzerland
18. August 1991 - February 1992, assistant deputy director for international negotiations, strategic plans and policy directorate (J-5), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
19. February 1992 - July 1993, deputy director for international negotiations, strategic plans and policy directorate (J-5), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
20. July 1993 - August 1995, director for intelligence J-2, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
21. August 1995 - June 1996, director, Defense Nuclear Agency, Alexandria, Va.
22. June 1996 - present, director, Defense Special Weapons Agency, Alexandria, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior officer aircrew member
Flight hours: More than 2,300 hours
Aircraft: EC-130 and EC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Department of State Meritorious Honor Medal
Senior Officer Aircrew Member Badge
Command Missile Operations Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug 24, 1965
First Lieutenant Jun 1, 1967
Captain Dec 1, 1968
Major Mar 1, 1975
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 1, 1979
Colonel Oct 1, 1982
Brigadier General Sep 1, 1989
Major General Jul 2, 1992
(Current as of September 1998)