MAJOR GENERAL MARK A. PILLAR

Maj. Gen. Mark A. Pillar is the mobilization assistant to the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

The general began his Air Force career in 1971 through the ROTC program. His first operational assignment was at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of South Vietnam, where he served as an EC-47 pilot and flew more than 90 combat missions logging more than 600 combat hours. Following a tour of duty at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, he returned to the United States and began flying KC-135 refueling aircraft at Grissom AFB, Ind. In 1978 he transferred to the Air Force Reserve and held numerous positions within the 434th Air Refueling Wing, to include being the first Commander of the 74th Air Refueling Squadron, and Commander of the 434th Air Refueling Group. 

His subsequent positions include Vice Commander of the 507th Air Refueling Wing and Vice Commander of 4th Air Force.  He has served as mobilization assistant to the Commander, 21st Air Force, and Commander in Chief, U.S. Strategic Command. General Pillar flew missions in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and in the Bosnia no-fly zone. During Operation Joint Forge, he was Vice Commander of the 60th Air Expeditionary Wing, Rhein-Main AB, Germany. He is a command pilot with more than 5,300 hours in the C/EC-47, KC-135A/E/R, EC-135 and the E-8 aircraft.

EDUCATION
1971 Bachelor of Science degree, University of Evansville, Ind.
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1981 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1985 Joint Employment Tactics School, Minot AFB, N.D.
1992 Naval War College Joint Tactics School, Newport Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, R.I.
1993 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Senior Officer Single Integrated Operational Plan Seminar, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2004 United States-Russia General Officer Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1971 - September 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. December 1972 - March 1973, EC-47 co-pilot, Da Nang Air Base, Republic of South Vietnam
3. March 1973 - November 1973, EC-47 standardization and evaluation co-pilot, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
4. December 1973 - September 1978, KC-135 pilot, 305th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom AFB, Ind.
5. September 1978 - March 1992, KC-135 instructor pilot, evaluation pilot, flight commander, and squadron commander, 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind.
6. March 1992 - March 1995, Commander, 74th Air Refueling Squadron, Grissom AFB, Ind.
7. April 1995 - 30 June 1996, Commander, Operations Group, 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom ARB, Ind.
8. July 1996 - August 1999, Vice Commander, 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. August l999 - October 2000, Vice Commander, 4th Air Force, March ARB, Calif.
10. October 2000 - September 2001, mobilization assistant to the Commander, 21st Air Force, McGuire AFB, N.J.
11. September 2001 - December 2004, mobilization assistant to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
12. December 2004 - present, mobilization assistant to the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 5,300
Aircraft flown: C/EC-47, KC-135A/E/R, EC-135 and E-8

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device, silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters 
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Vietnam Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass and "M" device
Air Force Training Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 13, 1971
First Lieutenant Feb. 28, 1973
Captain Aug. 29, 1975
Major May 11,1983
Lieutenant Colonel June 16, 1989
Colonel April 1, 1995
Brigadier General March 30, 2001
Major General June 30, 2004

(Current as of June 2008)