GENERAL WILLIAM R. LOONEY III

Gen. William R. Looney III is Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. As commander, he is responsible for the recruiting, training and education of Air Force people. His command includes the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered air forces and Air University. Air Education and Training Command consists of 13 bases, more than 92,000 active duty, reserve, guard, civilians and contractors, and 1,750 trainer, fighter and mobility aircraft.

General Looney graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1972, where he commanded the cadet wing in his senior year. The general has commanded a flight, a fighter squadron, two fighter wings, an air expeditionary force, a military college, a warfare center, a numbered air force and two acquisition centers.

General Looney flew 62 combat hours in the F-15 in support of Operation Southern Watch and commanded Joint Task Force 86-2 in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, including 2,500 in the F-15.

EDUCATION
1972 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1977 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1979 Master's degree in management, Central Michigan University
1983 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1990 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1993 Executive Warfare Course, Eglin AFB, Fla.
1997 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
1998 Undergraduate Space and Missile Training Staff Course, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
1999 National and International Security Seminar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1972 - August 1973, student, undergraduate pilot training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. August 1973 - December 1974, AC-130 gunship pilot, Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
3. January 1975 - April 1978, T-38 instructor pilot, 50th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. April 1978 - April 1979, participant, Air Staff Training Program, Directorate of Personnel Plans, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
5. April 1979 - December 1979, student, F-15 training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. January 1980 - February 1983, instructor pilot, flight commander and assistant operations officer, 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
7. February 1983 - July 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
8. July 1983 - June 1985, aide-de-camp to Deputy Commander in Chief, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, West Germany
9. July 1985 - November 1986, Chief of Wing Plans, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany
10. November 1986 - January 1988, operations officer, 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany
11. January 1988 - June 1989, Commander, 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany
12. July 1989 - June 1990, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1990 - July 1992, Conventional Negotiations Branch Chief, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
14. July 1992 - June 1993, Vice Commander, Air Forces Iceland, Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland
15. June 1993 - May 1995, Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
16. May 1995 - July 1996, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Va., and Air Expeditionary Force II, Azraq, Jordan
17. July 1996 - June 1998, Commandant, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
18. June 1998 - May 1999, Commander, Space Warfare Center, Schriever AFB, Colo.
19. May 1999 - June 2000, Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
20. June 2000 - May 2002, Commander, 14th Air Force, and Component Commander, Space Air Forces, U.S. Space Command, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
21. May 2002 - December 2003, Commander, Electronic Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
22. December 2003 - June 2005, Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
23. June 2005 - present, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000
Aircraft flown: AC-130, T-38, T-37, F-15 and C-21

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 Order of the Sword, AETC

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 7, 1972
First Lieutenant June 7, 1974
Captain June 7, 1976
Major Nov. 1, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1986
Colonel March 1, 1991
Brigadier General March 1, 1996
Major General May 1, 1999
Lieutenant General June 1, 2002
General Aug. 1, 2005

(Current as of June 2008)