MAJOR GENERAL MARK W. GRAPER Maj. Gen. Mark W. Graper is the Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 7, Headquarters Allied Air Command, (NATO), Allied Command Operations (NATO), Larissa, Greece. He serves as principal adviser to the commander regarding NATO and Southern Region air issues. He is responsible for the planning and execution of air operations directed by the CAOC 7 Commander and Headquarters Allied Air Command, (NATO). He is also the senior ranking U.S. Forces officer in Greece. General Graper was commissioned in 1980 following graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. The general served as an air liaison officer with the Egyptian Ranger 999 Brigade during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as the Director, Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Southwest Asia. The general is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours in the F-4E, F-16, F-15E, T-38 and T-6. EDUCATION 1980 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in international affairs, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1982 Master's degree in public policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 1988 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1993 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1998 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 2010 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2011 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2012 Combined Maritime Component Commander Course, Naples, Italy ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1980 - May 1982, graduate student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 2. June 1982 - June 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz. 3. September 1983 - May 1984, student, 21st Tactical Fighter Wing, George AFB, Calif. 4. June 1984 - September 1987, F-4E aircraft commander, 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 5. October 1987 - October 1988, Air Staff Training officer, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 6. April 1989 - March 1990, F-16 aircraft commander and flight commander, 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 7. March 1990 - July 1992, air liaison officer, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colo. 8. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 9. December 1993 - June 1997, F-15E assistant operations officer, operations officer, then Commander, 90th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 10. July 1997 - June 1998, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 11. July 1998 - June 2000, Chief, Exercise Division, U.S. Forces Korea (J3), Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea 12. July 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 612th Air Operations Group, and Director of Operations, U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. 13. August 2002 - May 2004, Commander, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, Texas 14. June 2004 - January 2006, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Forces Korea (J3), Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea 15. January 2006 - August 2007, Director, Standing Joint Force Headquarters - North, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. 16. August 2007 - February 2010, Commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska (September 2009 - January 2010, Director, Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Southwest Asia) 17. March 2010 - August 2011, Assistant Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Assistant Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Shaw AFB, S.C. 18. September 2011 - present, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 7, Headquarters Allied Air Command, (NATO), Larissa, Greece SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 1998 - June 2000, Chief, Exercise Division, U.S. Forces Korea (J3), Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel 2. June 2004 - January 2006, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Forces Korea (J3), Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, as a colonel 3. January 2006 - August 2007, Director, Standing Joint Force Headquarters - North, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a colonel and brigadier general 4. September 2009 - January 2010, Director, Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Southwest Asia 5. September 2011 - present, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 7, Headquarters Allied Air Command, (NATO), Allied Command Operations (NATO), Larissa, Greece FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 2,700 Aircraft flown: F-4E, F-16, F-15E, T-38 and T-6 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait) Alaska Legion of Merit EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant May 28, 1980 First Lieutenant May 28, 1982 Captain May 28,1984 Major Oct. 1, 1991 Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1995 Colonel May 1, 1999 Brigadier General March 10, 2006 Major General July 3, 2010 (Current as of January 2013)