Major General Catherine A. Chilton is the mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
General Chilton entered the Air Force in 1981 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and was assigned as a test director in the 4950th Test Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. After completing graduating from Test Pilot School as a flight test engineer in 1984, she served in a variety of key positions supporting the testing and evaluation of the flutter characteristics of the F-16, flying qualities of the A-10, and a variety of air-to-ground and air-to-air munitions test programs. In 1989, the general transitioned to the Air Force Reserve individual mobilization augmentee program where she saw service at the San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Texas; Schriever AFB, Colorado; Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts; Headquarters U.S. Air Force; the Missile Defense Agency, Washington, D.C.. She served as the Director, Air, Space and Information Operations, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and she has served as the mobilization assistant to: the Commander, Air Force Research laboratory, Wright Paterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and to the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
Prior to her current assignment, she was the mobilization assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor of Science degree in applied physics, magna cum laude, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.
1984 Distinguished graduate, Test Engineering Course, Edwards AFB, Calif.
1985 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1993 Master of Science degree in electro-optics, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Texas
1997 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2001 Air War College, by correspondence
2007 Senior Acquisition Management Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1981 - December 1983, test director, 4950th Test Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2. January 1984 - December 1984, student, Flight Test Engineer Course, Edwards AFB, Calif.
3. January 1985 - July 1986, research and development munitions test engineer, 3246th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
4. July 1986 - May 1988, Deputy Test Director of Special Projects, 3246th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
5. June 1989 - June 1996, aeronautical engineer, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AFB, Texas
6. July 1996 - June 1998, Chief, TF39 Engineering and Technical Section, San Antonio ALC, Kelly AFB, Texas
7. July 1998 - June 1999, analytical test manager, Headquarters Space Warfare Center, Schriever AFB, Colo.
8. July 1999 - January 2001, assistant operations officer, 17th Test Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
9. January 2001 - July 2001, operations officer, 17th Test Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
10. July 2001 - April 2002, individual mobilization augmentee, 595th Test and Evaluation Group, Schriever AFB, Colo.
11. April 2002 - April 2004, senior individual mobilization augmentee to the Director of Space Operations and Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
12. April 2004 - December 2004, Deputy Director, Kinetic Interceptors, Missile Defense Agency, Washington, D.C.
13. December 2004 - December 2006, mobilization assistant to the Director of Capabilities Integration, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. January 2007 - December 2008, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. December 2008 - February 2011, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
16. February 2011 - December 2012, mobilization assistant to the Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
17. January 2013 - December 2014, mobilization assistant to the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
18. December 2014 – September 2015, Director, Air, Space and Information Operations, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
19. October 2015 – May 2016, mobilization assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. May 2016 - present, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 24, 1981
First Lieutenant July 24, 1983
Captain July 24, 1985
Major March 5, 1992
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 18, 1998
Colonel April 1, 2002
Brigadier General April 2, 2009
Major General Dec. 20, 2013
(Current as of February 2015)