LIEUTENANT GENERAL RANDALL MARK SCHMIDT Lt. Gen. Randall Mark Schmidt is Commander, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Twelfth Air Force comprises seven active-duty wings and three direct reporting units in the western and midwestern United States. The fighter and bomber wings possess 400 aircraft and more than 33,000 active-duty military and civilian personnel. The three direct reporting units, the 3rd Combat Communications Group, 820th Red Horse Squadron and 1st Air Support Operations Group, comprise more than 1,200 personnel. He is also responsible for the operational readiness of 12th Air Force-gained wings of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, featuring an additional 18,800 personnel and more than 200 aircraft. As the Commander, Air Forces Southern, a component to the Combatant Commander, U.S. Southern Command, he oversees Air Force assets, five forward operating locations, and civil and military engagements in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.General Schmidt entered the Air Force through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1972. He has commanded a fighter squadron, operations group, three wings and a combatant Joint Task Force. He also served in key positions during tours with the Air Staff, major commands and the Joint Staff. General Schmidt is a command pilot with more than 4,600 hours, primarily in fighter aircraft. He flew the F-15C in combat operations during operations Provide Comfort and Southern Watch. He served as a mission commander against the hostile resurgent force of Iraqi Integrated Air Defense Systems while serving as the operations group commander at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, for the multi-national air component. General Schmidt also commanded the 5th and 7th Air Expeditionary Wings in Southwest Asia in response to hostile Iraqi maneuvers in the southern no-fly zone. As Commander, Joint Task Force - Southwest Asia, he led the effort to destroy more than 380 enemy targets. The general had a direct impact in supporting combat operations when he served as the Headquarters U.S. Air Force Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.EDUCATION1972 Bachelor of Science degree in engineering management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.1976 Master of Arts degree in psychology, University of Northern Colorado1977 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1983 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1991 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.1998 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityASSIGNMENTS1. June 1972 - June 1973, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.2. June 1973 - December 1973, student, Replacement Training Unit, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.3. January 1974 - June 1977, F-111 fighter pilot, 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho4. June 1977 - July 1979, F-111 instructor pilot, and standardization and evaluation officer, 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England5. July 1979 - May 1980, action officer, Air Staff Training Program, Directorate of Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.6. May 1980 - July 1980, student, F-15 Transition Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.7. July 1980 - August 1982, F-15 instructor pilot, flight commander, and Standardization and Evaluation Branch Chief, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena AB, Japan8. August 1982 - June 1983, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.9. July 1983 - August 1985, Commander, F-15 Technical Assistance Field Team, Khamis-Mushayet, Saudi Arabia10. August 1985 - July 1988, assistant operations officer, 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, Chief, Standardization and Evaluation Division, 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, later, operations officer, 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.11. July 1988 - August 1990, Commander, 1st Fighter Squadron, later, Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.12. August 1990 - June 1991, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.13. June 1991 - December 1991, Chief, Middle East, Africa and South Asia Policy, Plans and Operations Directorate, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.14. December 1991 - April 1992, Deputy Assistant Director, Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Security Council Matters, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.15. April 1992 - June 1993, Commander, 39th Operations Group, Incirlik AB, Turkey16. July 1993 - May 1994, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, RAF Upper Heyford, England17. May 1994 - August 1995, Chief, Western Hemisphere Division (J-5), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.18. September 1995 - August 1997, Commander, 24th Wing; Commander, U.S. Southern Command Air Forces Forward; and Director, Joint Interagency Task Force - South, Howard AB, Panama19. August 1997 - April 1999, Commander, 366th Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho20. April 1999 - April 2000, Commander, Joint Task Force - Southwest Asia, and Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force - Southwest Asia, U.S. Central Command, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia21. May 2000 - March 2002, Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany22. March 2002 - July 2003, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.23. July 2003 - present, Commander, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 4,600, including more than 270 combat hours Aircraft flown: F-111A/E/F, F-15A/B/C/D, A-10, F-16C Block 40/42, C-27 and C-21MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf clusterLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clustersAir Medal with oak leaf clusterAerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clustersJoint Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clustersAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clustersCombat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clustersNational Defense Service Medal with bronze starArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalSouthwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze starsEstrella de las Fuerzas Armadas en el grado de Gran Estrella al Mérito Militar, Chile (Armed Forces Military Star, Order of Grand Star for Military Merit) Cruz de la Fuerza Aérea al Mérito Aeronáutico en el grado de Gran Cruz, Colombia (Air Force Cross for Aeronautical Merit, Order of Grand Cross) OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS1975 Top Gun outstanding graduate, F-111 Replacement Training Unit, 366th Tactical Fighter Wing1991 Air War College finalist, Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award1994 Joint Chiefs of Staff Delegate, Inter-American Defense Board, Washington, D.C.1997 Director, Joint Interagency Task Force - South, Panama1999 Moller Trophy for outstanding wing commander, Air Combat CommandEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant June 7, 1972First Lieutenant June 7, 1974Captain June 7, 1976Major Nov. 1, 1982Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1987Colonel April 1, 1991Brigadier General March 1, 1996Major General July 1, 1999Lieutenant General Sept. 1, 2003(Current as of May 2006)