MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD L. COMER

Maj. Gen. Richard L. Comer is Chief, Office of Coalition Coordination, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

General Comer, raised in Gastonia, N.C., received his commission upon graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1973. He completed undergraduate helicopter training in 1974, and has served as a pilot, instructor pilot, flight examiner, operations officer and squadron commander. He served as Director of Plans and Policy for the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., in 1993, and was Deputy Commanding General of the JSOC in 1999. General Comer has commanded the 16th Operations Group and 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Prior to his current assignment, he was Director, Policy and Planning, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

General Comer is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours.

EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor of Science degree in history, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1978 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1982 Master's degree in English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1983 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1988 Air War College, by correspondence
1993 U.S. Marine Corps War College, Quantico, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1973 - June 1974, student, undergraduate helicopter training, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. August 1974 - December 1974, student, HH-53 qualification course, Hill AFB, Utah
3. December 1974 - December 1975, HH-53 pilot, 40th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
4. December 1975 - November 1978, squadron instructor pilot, 601st Tactical Airlift Support Squadron, Sembach Air Base, West Germany
5. November 1978 - March 1979, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. March 1979 - October 1980, H-53 instructor pilot, 551st Flying Training Squadron, later, H-53 academic instructor, Chief of Academics, H-53 wing scheduling officer and flight examiner, 550th Technical Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. December 1980 - May 1982, graduate student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
8. May 1982 - December 1985, assistant professor of English, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
9. June 1986 - April 1987, HH-53 aircraft commander, later, instructor pilot and assistant director of operations, 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, McClellan AFB, Calif.
10. April 1987 - June 1992, assistant operations officer, later, operations officer and Commander, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. August 1992 - June 1993, student, U.S. Marine Corps War College, Quantico, Va.
12. June 1993 - June 1996, Director, Plans and Policy, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
13. June 1996 - April 1997, Commander, 16th Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. May 1997 - June 1998, Commander, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. June 1998 - May 1999, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy and Missions, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, Washington, D.C.
16. May 1999 - July 2000, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
17. July 2000 - September 2002, Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
18. September 2002 - May 2004, Director, Policy and Planning, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
19. June 2004 - present, Chief, Office of Coalition Coordination, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,400
Aircraft flown: HH/MH-53H/J, MH-60G, MC-130E/H/P and AC-130U

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Golden Medal of the Polish Armed Forces

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 6, 1973
First Lieutenant June 6, 1975
Captain June 6, 1977
Major Nov. 6, 1984
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1989
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Aug. 1, 1999
Major General Feb. 1, 2003

(Current as of March 2005)