Major General CURTIS M. BEDKE

Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Bedke is Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He is responsible for managing the Air Force's $2.2 billion science and technology program as well as additional customer funded research and development of $2.2 billion. He is also responsible for a workforce of approximately 10,800 people in the laboratory's component technology directorates, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the 711th Human Performance Wing. 

General Bedke is a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a command pilot with more than 4,300 flying hours in 80 different aircraft. As an experimental test pilot, he commanded the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron at Edwards AFB. He also has commanded a B-52 operations group, a flying training wing, and a B-52 bomb wing. His staff tours include duties as a B-2 Weapons Systems Acquisition Manager at Headquarters Strategic Air Command, and Assistant Deputy Director of Politico-Military Affairs with the Joint Staff's J-5. He also served as Vice Commander of 8th Air Force; Inspector General of Air Combat Command; and Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, and Director, National Security Operations Center, National Security Agency. Prior to his current position, General Bedke was Commander, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, Calif.

The general is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, having served as the Combined Forces Air Component Commander for Bright Star in Egypt in October 2001, then as U.S. Central Command's senior military representative to Pakistan from February to June 2002.

EDUCATION
1977 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering and theoretical mathematics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1978 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
1984 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1990 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in national resource strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2000 Program for Senior Leaders in Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2000 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 National and International Security Seminar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
2002 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Joint Flag Officer Warfighter Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1977 - June 1978, graduate student, aeronautical and astronautical engineering program, Air Force Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Calif.
2. June 1978 - June 1979, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. June 1979 - December 1979, student, B-52D combat crew training course, Carswell AFB, Texas
4. January 1980 - October 1982, B-52D co-pilot and aircraft commander, 2nd Bomb Squadron, March AFB, Calif.
5. October 1982 - December 1985, B-52G aircraft commander, training flight instructor pilot, and standardization and evaluation pilot, 668th Bombardment Squadron, Griffiss AFB, N.Y.
6. January 1986 - December 1986, student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
7. December 1986 - December 1987, experimental test pilot, 6512th Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
8. December 1987 - July 1989, operations officer and experimental test pilot, 6519th Test Squadron, Strategic Systems Combined Test Force, Edwards AFB, Calif.
9. July 1989 - June 1990, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 1990 - May 1992, B-2 Weapons Systems Acquisition Manager, B-2 Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Requirements and Test, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
11. May 1992 - July 1993, Commander, 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
12. August 1993 - June 1994, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. July 1994 - August 1996, Deputy Commander, later, Commander, 5th Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
14. August 1996 - July 1997, regional analyst, Asia-Pacific Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. July 1997 - October 1998, Assistant Deputy Director of Politico-Military Affairs for Global and Multilateral Issues and the Western Hemisphere, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. October 1998 - March 2000, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
17. March 2000 - December 2000, Vice Commander, Headquarters 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La.
18. December 2000 - July 2002, Commander, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
19. July 2002 - July 2003, Inspector General, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
20. July 2003 - September 2004, Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, and Director, National Security Operations Center, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
21. September 2004 - October 2007, Commander, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, Calif.
22. October 2007 - present, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1996 - July 1997, regional analyst, Asia-Pacific Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. July 1997 - October 1998, Assistant Deputy Director of Politico-Military Affairs for Global and Multilateral Issues and the Western Hemisphere, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
3. July 2003 - September 2004, Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, and Director, National Security Operations Center, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Ratings: Command pilot, parachutist
Flight hours: More than 4,300
Aircraft flown: 80 aircraft, including trainers, fighters, tankers, transports and bombers

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1977
First Lieutenant June 1, 1979
Captain June 1, 1981
Major March 1, 1987
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1991
Colonel Feb. 1, 1995
Brigadier General Oct. 1, 2001
Major General July 1, 2005

(Current as of February 2010)