MAJOR GENERAL KENNETH M. "MIKE" DECUIR Maj. Gen. Kenneth M. "Mike" DeCuir is Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He assists the Commander in organizing, training, equipping and maintaining 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 operates more than 1,100 aircraft, 25 wings, 15 bases and more than 200 operating locations worldwide with 110,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. When mobilized, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve contribute more than 700 aircraft and 62,000 people to Air Combat Command. As the combat air forces lead agent, ACC develops strategy, doctrine, concepts, tactics and procedures for air and space power employment. The command provides conventional, nuclear and information warfare forces to all unified commands to ensure air, space and information superiority for warfighters and national decision-makers. ACC can also be called upon to assist national agencies with intelligence, surveillance and crisis response capabilitiesGeneral DeCuir graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1973 and entered military service in 1974 through the Air Force ROTC program. He earned his wings in August 1975 after completing pilot training as a distinguished graduate and winner of the Top Pilot award. The general has commanded the 335th Fighter Squadron, 48th Operations Group, 80th Flying Training Wing, 354th Fighter Wing and the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center. His staff tours include Headquarters Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and Headquarters Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command Region.General DeCuir is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, including 49 combat missions in operations Desert Storm, Deny Flight and Provide Comfort.EDUCATION1973 Bachelor of general studies degree, University of South Carolina1977 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence1981 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence1987 National Security Management Course, by correspondence1988 Master of Science degree in human resource management, Golden Gate University1994 National Defence College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario1999 Seminar XXI - Foreign Political and International Relations, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge2001 National and International Security Management, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.2003 United States-Russia Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.ASSIGNMENTS1. August 1974 - August 1975, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas2. September 1975 - October 1975, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.3. October 1975 - June 1976, student, F-4E Replacement Training Unit, Homestead AFB, Fla.4. June 1976 - April 1979, F-4E instructor pilot, 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, West Germany5. May 1979 - April 1980, F-4E flight examiner, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea6. June 1980 - July 1980, student, F-15A Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.7. July 1980 - December 1982, F-15A instructor pilot, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.8. December 1982 - May 1985, F-4M pilot, Royal Air Force Exchange Officer, 56 (F) Squadron, RAF Wattisham, England9. June 1985 - October 1986, aide-de-camp to the Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, Naples, Italy10. October 1986 - August 1988, executive officer to the Vice Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.11. September 1988 - March 1989, student, F-15E Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.12. April 1989 - November 1989, assistant operations officer, 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.13. December 1989 - December 1990, Chief, Standardization and Evaluation Division, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.14. December 1990 - November 1992, operations officer, later, Commander, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.15. November 1992 - July 1993, Deputy Commander, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.16. August 1993 - July 1994, student, National Defence College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario17. July 1994 - February 1996, Commander, 48th Operations Group, RAF Lakenheath, England18. February 1996 - November 1997, Commander, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas19. November 1997 - May 1999, Deputy Director, Directorate for Joint Matters, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.20. May 1999 - April 2001, Commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska21. April 2001 - May 2002, Deputy Commander, Canadian NORAD Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada22. June 2002 - March 2004, Commander, Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.23. March 2004 - May 2006, Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.24. May 2006 - present, Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 4,500Aircraft flown: T-3A, T-6A, T-33A, T-37B, T-38A, AT-38B, F-4E/M, F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-16C/D (Block 40), F-101, F-104, B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, E-3C, E-4B, EC-130H, C-5A, C-130H, RC-135V, KC-10A, HH-60G, U-2S, O-2A, OV-10A, Hawk, Hunter, Provost and P-51MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDistinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf clusterLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterDistinguished Flying Cross with V deviceDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clustersAir Medal with four oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf clusterAir Force Commendation MedalJoint Service Achievement MedalCombat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clustersNational Defense Service Medal with bronze starArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze starsGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalKorea Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Service MedalKuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Aug. 24, 1974First Lieutenant July 7, 1976Captain July 7, 1978Major Dec. 1, 1985Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 1989Colonel Feb. 1, 1994Brigadier General July 1, 2000Major General Jan. 1, 2004(Current as of December 2006)