MAJOR GENERAL CRAIG R. COONING Maj. Gen. Craig R. Cooning is Director, Space Acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. He provides acquisition support to the Under Secretary and program management direction to field organizations for the development and procurement of Air Force surveillance, communications, navigation and weather satellites, space launch systems, information warfare capabilities, ground-based strategic radars, communications and command centers and sustainment for the nation's land-based strategic nuclear missile systems.General Cooning was commissioned in 1973 through the ROTC program at Auburn University. He has served in a broad range of acquisition and logistics positions. He has served as Program Executive Officer for all Air Force space programs, twice as a major weapon system program director, as a commander, and a warranted contracting officer. General Cooning has earned both the space and master acquisition badges.EDUCATION1973 Bachelor's degree in aviation management, School of Engineering, Auburn University, Ala.1977 Master of Business Administration degree, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa1979 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1982 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence1986 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.1986 National Security Management Course, by correspondence1994 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.1994 Senior Acquisition Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.ASSIGNMENTS1. June 1973 - May 1976, procurement contracting officer, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AFB, Texas2. June 1976 - December 1977, graduate student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Alabama3. December 1977 - May 1982, manufacturing and program manager, F-16 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio4. May 1982 - January 1986, contracting and manufacturing career management assignment officer, Air Force Military Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas5. January 1986 - July 1986, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.6. July 1986 - July 1988, Deputy Commander, Air Force Plant Representative Office, Hughes Missile Systems Group, Tucson, Ariz.7. August 1988 - June 1990, Commander, Air Force Plant Representative Office, Morton Thiokol Inc., Brigham City, Utah8. July 1990 - January 1991, Chief, Commodities Contracting Division, Contracting Directorate, Hill AFB, Utah9. January 1991 - July 1993, Director, Directorate of Specialized Management, Hill AFB, Utah10. August 1993 - June 1994, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.11. June 1994 - September 1995, executive to the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio12. September 1995 - August 1997, Program Director, Reconnaissance Aircraft Systems Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio13. August 1997 - November 1998, Director of Contracting, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio14. December 1998 - January 2001, Program Director, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.15. January 2001 - June 2001, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.16. June 2001 - October 2001, Deputy for Transitions and Programs, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.17. October 2001 - July 2004, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.18. July 2004 - present, Director, Space Acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDistinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of MeritMeritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation MedalOTHER ACHIEVEMENTS1990 Joint Specialty Officer1991 Certification in Program Management, Level III1993 Acquisition Corps1996 Certification in Contracting, Level IIIEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Aug. 15, 1973First Lieutenant Aug. 15, 1975Captain Aug. 15, 1977Major Oct. 1, 1983Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 1988Colonel Jan. 1, 1992Brigadier General Oct. 1, 1998Major General Sept. 1, 2002(Current as of August 2004)