GENERAL RICHARD E. HAWLEY Gen. Richard E. Hawley is commander of Air Combat Command with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The command organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. ACC is comprised of 1,050 aircraft and approximately 103,400 active-duty military members and civilian personnel at 27 major installations in the United States, Panama, Iceland and the Azores. When mobilized, more than 64,400 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members along with 780 aircraft are assigned to ACC. The command provides nuclear forces for U.S. Strategic Command, theater air forces for five geographic unified commands (U.S. Atlantic Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Pacific Command) as well as defense forces for the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The general entered the Air Force in 1964 following graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Prior to this assignment, he was commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Central Europe with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He also commanded an Air Force group, a wing and U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force, with headquarters at Yokota Air Base, Japan. He served as a forward air controller at Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam, where he flew 433 combat missions.EDUCATION1964 Bachelor of science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1965 Master of arts degree in economics, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 1974 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1982 Naval War College, Newport, R.I.ASSIGNMENTS1. June 1964 - March 1965, student, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 2. March 1965 - September 1966, staff officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 3. September 1966 - September 1967, student, pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. 4. October 1967 - September 1968, student, F-4C and O-2A training, Homestead Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, Fla. 5. September 1968 - September 1969, forward air controller, Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam 6. October 1969 - September 1972, F-4D combat crew member, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany 7. September 1972 - June 1973, member, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe inspector general team, Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany 8. July 1973 - February 1974, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 9. February 1974 - March 1976, operations staff officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 10. March 1976 - September 1977, assistant executive officer to the Air Force chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 11. September 1977 - July 1979, operations officer, 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron; assistant deputy commander for operations, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing and commander, 347th Combat Support Group; Moody Air Force Base, Ga. 12. July 1979 - July 1981, director of operations, 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Va. 13. July 1981 - July 1982, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 14. July 1982 - April 1984, vice commander, 313th Air Division, Kadena Air Base, Japan 15. April 1984 - March 1986, commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan 16. March 1986 - September 1986, special assistant to the commander in chief, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii 17. September 1986 - August 1987, vice commander, 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base, South Korea 18. August 1987 - August 1989, deputy chief of staff for plans, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii 19. August 1989 - August 1991, director of operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 20. August 1991 - November 1993, commander, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan 21. November 1993 - July 1995, principal deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.22. July 1995 - April 1996, commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany 23. April 1996 - present, commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 3,000; 438 combat missionsAircraft flown: O-2A, A-10, F-4 and F-15MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service MedalLegion of MeritDistinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clustersMeritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Medal with two silver and two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 3, 1964First Lieutenant Dec 3, 1965Captain Dec 3, 1967Major Jan 1, 1972Lieutenant Colonel Apr 1, 1976Colonel Jun 1, 1979Brigadier General Jul 1, 1986Major General Aug 1, 1989Lieutenant General Aug 2, 1991General Aug 1, 1995 (Current as of September 1998)