Gen. Timothy M. Ray is Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence, global strike and combat support to USSTRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two Numbered Air Forces; 11 active-duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve wings; and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all U.S. Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft; UH-1N helicopters, E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft, and the remaining U.S. Air Force NC3 weapons system.
Gen. Ray earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1985. He completed undergraduate pilot training and has held operational flying assignments in the T-38 and B-52, serving as an instructor, evaluator pilot and squadron commander. He has also flown the B-1 and commanded the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Gen. Ray had various staff assignments at the major command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and combatant command levels, as well as serving as Commanding General, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Prior to his current assignment, Gen. Ray served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science, Human Factors Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1994 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1998 Master of Science, Aviation Sciences and Management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1998 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Senior Executive Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1985–August 1987, Student, Undergraduate Pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. August 1987–October 1987, Student, B-52 Combat Crew Training, Castle AFB, Calif.
3. November 1987–March 1993, B-52 Flight Commander, Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, 23rd Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
4. March 1993–March 1994, B-52 Flying Training Unit Instructor Pilot, Castle AFB, Calif.
5. March 1994–June 1997, B-52 FTU Instructor Pilot and Executive Officer, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
6. June 1997–July 1998, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 1998–October 2000, Deputy Chief, Aircraft Team, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
8. October 2000–June 2001, Operations Officer, 11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
9. June 2001–July 2003, Commander, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
10. August 2003–June 2004, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2004–September 2005, Chief, Training, Readiness, Exercises and NEO Division (J37), U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea
12. September 2005–July 2006, Vice Commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
13. July 2006–June 2008, Commander, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
14. July 2008–July 2009, Deputy Director of Air and Space Operations, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
15. August 2009–August 2011, Director of Operations, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
16. August 2011–September 2012, Commanding General, NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan, NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. September 2012–January 2014, Director, Operational Planning, Policy and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. February 2014–June 2015, Director, Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. July 2015–October 2016, Commander, 3rd Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
20. November 2016–August 2018, Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
21. August 2018–present, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Commander, Air Forces Strategic - Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998–October 2000, Deputy Chief, Aircraft Team, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as a major and lieutenant colonel
2. July 2004–September 2005, Chief, Training, Readiness, Exercises and NEO Division, Special Operations (J37), U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
3. August 2011–September 2012, Commanding General, NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan, NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general
4. November 2016–August 2018, Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, B-1B, B-52G, B-52H, C-21, C-27A and C-208
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device, silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1985
First Lieutenant May 29, 1987
Captain May 29, 1989
Major Feb. 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel Aug. 1, 2004
Brigadier General Nov. 2, 2009
Major General June 2, 2013
Lieutenant General July 2, 2015
General Aug. 21, 2018
(Current as of August 2021)