BRIGADIER GENERAL JERRY M. "MIKE" DRENNAN Brig. Gen. Jerry M. "Mike" Drennan is commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He commands the Air Force's largest wing geographically and organizationally. The wing consists of a work force of more than 8,000 people who provide missile warning and space control for combat forces and the national command authorities of the United States and Canada. The general is a 1972 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in a variety of space and missile operations and staff positions, from wing level to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, which included a tour at the Defense Nuclear Agency. He also served with the ground-launched cruise missile system while assigned at Comiso Air Station, Italy. Previous units the general commanded include the 12th Strategic Missile Squadron, the 319th Support Group, the 321st Missile Wing, and the Air Command and Staff College.EDUCATION1972 Bachelor of science degree in engineering management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1976 Master of business administration degree, University of Missouri, Columbia 1976 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1984 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1989 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1995 Program for Executives, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.ASSIGNMENTS1. June 1972 - October 1972, student, missile combat crew training, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. 2. October 1972 - October 1977, senior deputy missile combat crew commander instructor, later, evaluator missile combat crew commander, 508th Strategic Missile Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. 3. October 1977 - October 1978, missile operations staff officer, Air Staff training program, Directorate of Future Concepts, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 4. October 1978 - December 1980, member, ground-launched cruise missile operations training and development team, 4444th Operations Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.5. December 1980 - June 1982, ground-launched cruise missile plans officer, Directorate of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 6. June 1982 - January 1984, assistant executive officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 7. January 1984 - July 1984, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 8. July 1984 - May 1985, operations officer, 564th Strategic Missile Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. 9. May 1985 - July 1986, commander, 12th Strategic Missile Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. 10. July 1986 - June 1987, deputy base commander, 341st Combat Support Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. 11. June 1987 - August 1988, assistant deputy commander for operations, 341st Strategic Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. 12. August 1988 - June 1989, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 13. June 1989 - January 1991, deputy commander for operations, later, vice commander, 487th Tactical Missile Wing, Comiso Air Station, Italy 14. January 1991 - June 1992, commander, 842nd Combat Support Group (redesignated 319th Support Group), Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. 15. June 1992 - June 1993, commander, 321st Missile Wing, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. 16. June 1993 - May 1995, assistant director for nuclear operations, Headquarters Defense Nuclear Agency, Alexandria, Va. 17. May 1995 - August 1996, deputy director of plans, later, director of logistics, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. 18. August 1996 - June 1998, commandant, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 19. June 1998 - present, commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.BADGESMaster Space and Missile Operations BadgeMaster Missile Operations BadgeMAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDistinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of MeritMeritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clustersCombat Readiness MedalNational Defense Service Medal with service starVietnam Service MedalOTHER ACHIEVEMENTSCommander, Best Minuteman Crew, 1977 Strategic Air Command Missile Combat CompetitionEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 7, 1972First Lieutenant Jun 7, 1974Captain Jun 7, 1976Major Nov 1, 1981Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1985Colonel Oct 1, 1989Brigadier General Aug 1, 1997OPERATIONAL INFORMATIONBasic parachutist wings(Current as of October 2000)