GENERAL BRUCE CARLSON Gen. Bruce Carlson serves as Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command's 74,000 people manage $59 billion annually in research, development, test and evaluation while providing the acquisition management services and logistics support required to develop, procure and sustain Air Force weapon systems. General Carlson was born in Hibbing, Minn. He was commissioned in 1971 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He has held various flying assignments to include commanding the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, N.M., the Air Force's first stealth fighter wing. His staff assignments have included positions at Tactical Air Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of Defense. In addition, he served as the Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment on the Joint Staff. Prior to assuming his current position, General Carlson served as the Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La., and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. General Carlson is experienced in multiple aircraft weapons systems, is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, and has combat experience as a forward air controller in the OV-10. EDUCATION 1971 Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Minnesota, Duluth 1979 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 1980 Master of Arts degree, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. 1989 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 1971 - May 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla. 2. June 1972 - April 1973, student, F-4 Replacement Training Unit, Homestead AFB, Fla. 3. May 1973 - December 1974, F-4 pilot, 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 4. December 1974 - October 1975, OV-10 forward air controller and instructor pilot, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand 5. October 1975 - November 1977, OV-10 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Bergstrom AFB, Texas 6. December 1977 - April 1980, A-10 pilot and fighter weapons instructor pilot, 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C. 7. May 1980 - September 1982, aide to the Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va. 8. October 1982 - June 1985, wing weapons officer, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, and operations officer, 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C. 9. July 1985 - June 1988, tactical systems requirements officer, Office of Low Observables Technology, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. 10. July 1988 - June 1989, graduate student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 11. July 1989 - June 1991, Director of Advanced Programs, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va. 12. July 1991 - June 1993, Vice Commander, 366th Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho 13. July 1993 - February 1995, senior military assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, and senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C. 14. February 1995 - November 1996, Commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. 15. November 1996 - June 1998, Director of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 16. June 1998 - December 1999, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 17. January 2000 - May 2002, Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 18. May 2002 - August 2005, Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La., and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. 19. August 2005 - present, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,300 Aircraft flown: F-4, OV-10, A-10, F-16, F-111, EF-111, AT-38, F-117, C-21 and B-52 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2007 Order of the Sword, Air Force Materiel Command EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 12, 1971 First Lieutenant Dec. 12, 1972 Captain June 12, 1975 Major Nov. 1, 1982 Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985 Colonel Feb. 1, 1991 Brigadier General Jan. 1, 1996 Major General Sept. 1, 1998 Lieutenant General Feb. 1, 2000 General Sept. 1, 2005 (Current as of November 2008)