LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRUCE A. WRIGHT

Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright is Commander, U.S. Forces Japan, and Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan. In these two command positions he is the senior U.S. military representative in Japan and commander of U.S. Air Force units in Japan respectively.

The general received his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1973 and served as an instructor pilot early in his career. He has held command at all levels -- fighter squadron, group, wing and major command. Prior to assuming his current position, he was Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, with headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va., and Air Component Commander for U.S. Joint Forces Command and U.S. Northern Command.

A command pilot, General Wright has more than 3,200 flying hours, principally in fighter aircraft, including 65 F-16 combat missions flown during operations Desert Storm, Provide Comfort and Deny Flight.

EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1976 Squadron Officer School
1982 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School
1984 Master of Public Administration degree, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, Calif.
1984 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1992 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1996 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, Syracuse University, N.Y.
1998 Capstone, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1973 - September 1974, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. December 1974 - December 1975, student, F-4 replacement training, George AFB, Calif.
3. January 1976 - March 1978, F-4E instructor pilot, 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. March 1978 - July 1979, F-4C Wild Weasel instructor pilot, 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
5. July 1979 - August 1980, F-4G Wild Weasel instructor pilot, initial cadre, 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Clark AB, Philippines
6. September 1980 - September 1981, air operations officer, Air Staff Training Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. September 1981 - August 1984, F-4E instructor pilot, 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. August 1984 - January 1985, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. January 1985 - March 1988, operations officer, the Joint Staff, J3, Washington, D.C.
10. March 1988 - June 1991, F-16C operations officer and squadron commander, 614th Fighter Squadron, Torrejon AB, Spain
11. July 1991 - July 1992, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. July 1992 - March 1993, Commander, 52nd Support Group, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
13. March 1993 - June 1994, Commander, 86th Operations Group, Ramstein AB, Germany
14. June 1994 - February 1997, Director of Operations, U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan
15. February 1997 - November 1998, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
16. November 1998 - January 2000, Deputy Director for Information Operations, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. January 2000 - December 2001, Commander, Air Intelligence Agency; Deputy Commander for Information Operations, 8th Air Force; and Commander, Joint Information Operations Center, Kelly AFB, Texas, and Lackland AFB, Texas
18. December 2001 - January 2005, Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
19. February 2005 - present, Commander, U.S. Forces Japan, and Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,200
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-21, T-43, F-4C/D/E/G and F-16A/C

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 6, 1973
First Lieutenant June 6, 1975
Captain June 6, 1977
Major Oct. 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 1988
Colonel Dec. 1, 1992
Brigadier General June 1, 1998
Major General Jan. 1, 2001
Lieutenant General Dec. 10, 2001

(Current as of November 2005)