Maj. Gen. Robert A. Nester is mobilization assistant to the Chief, Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C. He serves as principal adviser for the individual mobilization augmentee program supporting more than 12,000 Air Force Reservists. He chairs the Individual Mobilization Augmentee Allocation Team which allocates funding for this program throughout the Air Force.
 
General Nester was born in Speedway, Ind. He earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1963. As a career fighter and instructor pilot, he flew 183 combat missions in Southeast Asia. He has commanded a squadron, and served as vice commander of a wing and a numbered air force. He is employed with the Federal Aviation Agency as an aviation safety inspector. 

EDUCATION
1963 Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics, Parks Aeronautical College, Mo.
1979 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1983 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1987 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1964 - March 1965, student, undergraduate pilot training, 64th Flying Training Wing, Reese AFB, Texas
2. May 1965 - November 1965, student, F-4 Phantom upgrade training, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. November 1965 - November 1966, F-4 pilot, 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
4. November 1966 - September 1967, F-4 pilot, 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cam Rahn Air Base, South Vietnam
5. September 1 967 - February 1971, instructor pilot, 3501 st Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas
6. February 1971 - August 1982, A-37 and A-10 pilot, 72nd Special Operations Squadron, Grissom AFB, Ind.
7. August 1982 - December 1984, Deputy Commander for Operations, 906th Tactical Fighter Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. December 1984 - April 1987, Director of Training, 434th Tactical Fighter Group, Grissom AFB, Ind.
9. April 1987 - November 1988, Commander, 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Grissom AFB, Ind.
10. December 1988 - June 1990, Vice Commander, 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Richards Gebaur AFB, Mo.
11. June 1990 - August 1992, Vice Commander, 10th Air Force, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
12. August 1992 - April 1994, mobilization assistant to the Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.
13. May 1994 - September 1994, mobilization assistant to the Vice Commander, Air Force Reserve, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. September 1994 - present, mobilization assistant to the Chief, Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,300
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-4, A-10 and KC-10 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with two silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant  July 23, 1963
First Lieutenant  July 23, 1965
Captain  Feb. 2, 1971
Major  May 21, 1976
Lieutenant Colonel  July 23, 1984
Colonel  June 1, 1988
Brigadier General  Aug. 12, 1992
Major General  April 3, 1995

(Current as of June 1999)