Brig. Gen. Bradley S. Baker is Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He is responsible for preparing the staff of a combat headquarters through bilateral planning, exercises and air operations with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to prosecute the air war in defense of Japan. The command provides the nucleus to support the wartime joint force air component commander.
General Baker entered active duty as a Reserve Officer Training Corps distinguished graduate in March 1976 and attended undergraduate pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. The general commanded a C-5 squadron during Operation Desert Storm, and has flown multiple combat support sorties. He is a command pilot with more than 5,300 hours in a variety of aircraft, including the C-5, C-21, C-9, CT-39, C-141, KC-135, KC-10, C-17, and C-130. In addition, he served as a Director of Mobility Forces and the Director of U.S. Central Command’s Distribution and Deployment Operation Center during operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
1975 Bachelor's degree in education, University of Missouri, Columbia
1981 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1983 Master's degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, March AFB, Calif.
1988 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2001 Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1976 - March 1977, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. March 1977 - May 1980, C-141 aircraft commander and squadron executive officer, 30th Military Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
3. May 1980 - May 1983, CT-39 flight examiner and assistant chief of standardization and evaluation, 1400th Military Airlift Squadron, Norton AFB, Calif.
4. May 1983 - July 1985, Assistant Chief, Operational Training Division, 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
5. July 1985 - August 1987, plans and programming officer, Directorate of Plans and Programming, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. August 1987 - June 1988, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 1988 - May 1989, C-5 aircraft commander and flight commander, 3rd Military Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
8. May 1989 - April 1990, executive officer, 436th Military Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
9. April 1990 - August 1992, squadron operations officer, later, Commander, 3rd Military Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
10. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1993 - May 1995, exercise program officer and manager, Commander in Chief Initiatives Fund, Interoperability and Plans Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
12. May 1995 - August 1996, Deputy Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
13. August 1996 - August 1998, Commander, 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Okla.
14. August 1998 - July 2000, Commander, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. July 2000 - May 2002, Chief, Global Mobility Division, and Chairman, Global Mobility Panel, and Special Assistant to the Director for Air Force programs, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2002 - September 2002, Deputy Director, Air Force Strategic Planning, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. September 2002 - April 2004, Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
18. April 2004 - present, Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,300
Aircraft flown: C-5, C-9, C-21, CT-39, C-141, KC-135, KC-10, C-17 and C-130
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)
(Current as of December 2005)