BRIGADIER GENERAL JOSEPH F. MUDD JR. Brig. Gen. Joseph F. Mudd Jr. is the Vice Commander, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Twelfth Air Force comprises seven active-duty wings and three direct reporting units in the western and midwestern United States. The fighter and bomber wings possess 400 aircraft and more than 33,000 active-duty military and civilian personnel. The three direct reporting units, the 3rd Combat Communications Group, 820th Red Horse Squadron and 1st Air Support Operations Group, comprise more than 1,200 personnel. Twelfth Air Force is also responsible for the operational readiness of 12th Air Force-gained wings of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, featuring an additional 18,800 personnel and more than 200 aircraft. As the Vice Commander, U.S. Southern Command Air Forces, a component to the Combatant Commander, U.S. Southern Command, he oversees Air Force assets, five forward operating locations, and civil and military engagements in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. General Mudd is a native of Greenville, Miss. He earned his commission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978. The general has commanded the NATO AWACS Flying Squadron One at Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany; the 55th Operations Group at Offutt AFB, Neb.; the 36th Air Base Wing at Andersen AFB, Guam; and the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla. He has also served on the headquarters staff for Strategic Air Command, Air Combat Command and the U.S. Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, General Mudd served as the Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 6, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Eskisehir, Turkey. General Mudd is a command pilot with more than 4,300 flying hours in a variety of aircraft, including the T-38, U-2, B-52, E-3 and RC-135. EDUCATION 1978 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1983 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1986 Master's degree in systems management, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 1989 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1998 Master's degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. ASSIGNMENTS 1. August 1978 - August 1979, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas 2. January 1980 - February 1983, T-38 instructor pilot, unit standardization and evaluation officer, Check Section pilot and assistant flight commander, 54th Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas 3. May 83 - May 86, U-2/TR-1 aircraft commander, instructor pilot and wing executive officer, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif. 4. June 1986 - July 1987, U-2/TR-1 Future Plans and Acquisition Manager, Plans and Programs Directorate, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. 5. July 1987 - July 1989, special assistant to the Chief of Staff, Headquarters SAC, Offutt AFB, Neb. 6. August 1989 - June 1990, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 7. November 1990 - June 1993, B-52 aircraft commander, instructor pilot, flight commander and operations officer, 69th Bomb Squadron, Loring AFB, Maine 8. July 1993 - June 1995, Deputy and Chief, Senior Officer Management, Officer Assignments Division, Directorate of Personnel, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. 9. December 1995 - July 1997, Commander, NATO AWACS Flying Squadron One, and U.S. Senior Representative, Operations Wing, Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany 10. August 1997 - June 1998, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 11. June 1998 - April 2000, Commander, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Neb. 12. May 2000 - June 2001, Chief, Checkmate Division, Operations and Training Directorate, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 13. June 2001 - October 2001, Director of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 14. October 2001 - June 2002, Deputy Director, Operational Plans and Joint Matters Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 15. June 2002 - March 2004, Commander, 36th Air Base Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam 16. March 2004 - November 2005, Commander, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla. 17. November 2005 - November 2006, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 6, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Eskisehir, Turkey 18. December 2006 - present, Vice Commander, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight Hours: More than 4,300 Aircraft: T-38, U-2, B-52, E-3 and RC-135 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit wih three oak leaf clusters Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant May 31, 1978 First Lieutenant June 1, 1980 Captain June 1, 1982 Major Dec. 1, 1988 Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 1993 Colonel Aug. 1, 1998 Brigadier General Aug. 1, 2005 (Current as of September 2007)