MAJOR GENERAL JACK J. CATTON JR. Maj. Gen. Jack J. Catton Jr. is Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. As director, he is responsible for all functions relating to the acquisition of weapons systems for combat air forces, to include new systems and modifications to existing systems. General Catton manages the definition of operational requirements, the translation of requirements to systems capabilities, and the subsequent operational evaluation of the new or modified systems. He also chairs the Combat Air Forces Requirements Oversight Council for modernization investment planning. The general directs a staff of 10 divisions, three special management offices and four operating locations, and actively represents the warfighter in defining future requirements while supporting the acquisition of today's combat systems. General Catton was born in Spokane, Wash., and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1976. A graduate of the F-15 Fighter Weapons School, he has served operationally as an instructor pilot, wing weapons and tactics officer, operations officer, squadron commander and operations group commander. General Catton commanded the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus AFB, Miss., and later commanded the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., where he was responsible for 1,800 military and civilian personnel at 18 U.S. locations, conducting operational testing and evaluation of all U.S. Air Force combat aircraft, tactics development, and evaluation of electronic combat, armament, avionics and aircrew training devices. General Catton's staff tours include an Air Staff tour as the Director of Operations advocate for the advanced tactical fighter; a NATO staff tour as Chief of Contingency Operations at NATO's Interim Deployable Combined Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and a major command staff tour as the Inspector General for Headquarters Pacific Air Forces at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Prior to assuming his current position, he served on the Joint Staff as Deputy Director for Information Operations, and then as Director, Operational Plans and Joint Force Development, where he was responsible to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for all matters pertaining to transforming joint operational concepts, education, training, exercises and war plans. EDUCATION 1976 Bachelor of Science degree in management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1982 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1986 Master of Science degree in systems management, University of Southern California 1987 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 1994 Master of Science degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 1999 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y. ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 1976 - July 1977, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz. 2. July 1977 - June 1978, student, F-15 combat crew training, F-15 Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz. 3. June 1978 - December 1980, F-15 flight lead, mission commander and squadron tactics officer, 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. 4. January 1981 - January 1982, F-15 instructor pilot, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz. 5. January 1982 - April 1982, student, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 6. April 1982 - May 1983, F-15 weapons and tactics officer, 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 7. May 1983 - May 1986, F-15 mission commander, instructor pilot and Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan 8. June 1986 - June 1987, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 9. June 1987 - June 1990, action officer, Tactical Forces Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 10. June 1990 - July 1991, operations officer, 54th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 11. July 1991 - September 1992, Commander, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 12. September 1992 - July 1993, executive officer to the Commander, 11th Air Force, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 13. July 1993 - June 1994, graduate student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 14. June 1994 - August 1995, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho 15. August 1995 - July 1997, Chief of Current Operations, Interim Combined Air Operations Center, NATO, Sembach Air Base, Germany, and Chief of Contingency Operations, Interim Deployable Combined Air Operations Center, NATO, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 16. July 1997 - July 1998, Commander, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss. 17. July 1998 - June 2000, Inspector General, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii 18. June 2000 - November 2001, Commander, 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. 19. November 2001 - August 2003, Deputy Director for Information Operations, Operations Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 20. August 2003 - August 2005, Director, Operational Plans and Joint Force Development (J-7), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 21. August 2005 - present, Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 2,650 Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-16, B-1, B-2, B-52, KC-135 and HH-60 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1977 Commander's Trophy and distinguished graduate, undergraduate pilot training 1986 Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault Award, Outstanding U.S. Air Force Aerial Warfare Tactician EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 2, 1976 First Lieutenant June 2, 1978 Captain June 2, 1980 Major May 1, 1986 Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1990 Colonel Feb. 1, 1994 Brigadier General Feb. 26, 2001 Major General Jan. 1, 2005 (Current as of October 2005)