Major General DAVID M. GAEDECKE

Maj. Gen. David M. Gaedecke is the Vice Commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Sixteenth Air Force ensures the readiness of more than 44,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations by delivering electromagnetic warfare capabilities, multisource intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products, applications, capabilities and resources. In addition, they build, extend, operate, secure and defend the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense global network. The command also serves as the Service Cryptologic Component, responsible to the Director, National Security Agency, and Chief, Central Security Service, as the Air Force’s sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities. Sixteenth Air Force leads Air Force global information warfare activities with nine wings, a technical center and operations center.

Maj. Gen. Gaedecke earned his commission from Officer Training School. He has operational experience in the Control & Reporting Center, U.S. and NATO Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS), Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft and U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s Combined Air Operations Center. He has commanded a flying squadron and wing, as well as served on the Air Combat Command and Headquarters Air Force staff. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Gaedecke was the Air Force’s first Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority in the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.

Maj. Gen. Gaedecke has more than 2,000 flying hours including more than 500 combat hours and 170 combat support hours.

EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, English, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
1998 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Master of Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Arts with Distinction, National Security and Strategic Studies, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of Science, Campaign Planning and Strategy, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2016 Enterprise Leadership Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2017 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
2018 Cyberspace Operations Executive Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Air Force Enterprise Executive Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1993–April 1994, Student, Undergraduate Weapons Controller School, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
2. May 1994–May 1995, Instructor Weapons Controller and Weapons Assignment Officer, 621st Air Control Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
3. May 1995–April 1996, Weapons Director, 726th Air Control Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
4. April 1996–January 1999, Evaluator Mission Crew Commander, Flight Commander, Chief of Training and Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, 726th Air Control Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. January 1999–August 1999, Executive Officer, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
6. August 1999–May 2003, Evaluator Senior Director and Flight Commander, 964th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
7. May 2003–July 2005, Fighter Allocator and E-3A Modernization Program Manager, NATO E-3A Component, Geilenkirchen NATO AB, Germany
8. July 2005–June 2006, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
9. June 2006–January 2008, Chief, Officer Development Branch, Directorate of Manpower and Personnel, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
10. January 2008–May 2008, Student, E-8C Mission Crew Commander, Robins AFB, Ga.
11. June 2008–April 2009, Director of Operations, 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
12. April 2009–June 2010, Commander, 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
13. July 2010–June 2011, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
14. June 2011–June 2012, Director, Combat Operations Division, 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
15. July 2012–June 2014, Vice Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. July 2014–June 2015, Deputy Director of Operations, ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis AFB, Va.
17. July 2015–June 2017, Commander, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
18. July 2017–March 2019, Director, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Integration, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. March 2019–August 2019, Director, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. August 2019–June 2020, Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21. July 2020–present, Vice Commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2003–July 2005, Fighter Allocator and E-3A Modernization Program Manager, NATO E-3A Component, Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base, Germany, as a major
2. June 2011–June 2012, Director, Combat Operations Division, 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia, as a colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  senior air battle manager Flight hours: more than 2,000
Aircraft:  E-3B/C/G, E-8C, and NATO E-3A

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 19, 1993
First Lieutenant Nov. 19, 1995
Captain Nov. 19, 1997
Major March 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 2007
Colonel Sept. 1, 2011
Brigadier General Nov. 17, 2017
Major General May 7, 2021

(Current as of June 2021)