MAJOR GENERAL THEODORE W. "BILL" LAY II

Maj. Gen. Theodore W. "Bill" Lay II is Deputy Director, Joint Warfare Center, NATO, Stavanger, Norway. The center is a joint NATO command subordinate to Allied Command Transformation that shares its headquarters facility with the Norwegian national joint military headquarters. General Lay assists the Director in promoting and conducting NATO’s joint and combined training, exercises, experimentation, analysis and doctrine development to maximize the transformational synergy and to improve NATO’s capabilities and interoperability. The general also serves as the senior U.S. military officer in Scandinavia, and as the U.S. country representative for the Kingdom of Norway.

General Lay earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Millikin University in 1971 and a master's degree in political science from Auburn University in 1986. He entered the Air Force in 1971, was commissioned in 1973 through Officer Training School, completed undergraduate navigator training in 1974 and undergraduate pilot training in 1978.

General Lay has commanded the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 3rd Operations Group, 1st Fighter Wing, 57th Wing and 13th Air Force, and he has served on the staffs of Tactical Air Command and the Joint Staff. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Commander, Joint Headquarters North, NATO, Stavanger, Norway. General Lay is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in several aircraft, including the F-4 and F-15.

EDUCATION
1971 Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Millikin University, Decatur, Ill.
1976 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1982 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1986 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1986 Master's degree in political science, Auburn University, Montgomery, Ala.
1992 National War College, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1972 - October 1972, physical conditioning specialist, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2. October 1972 - March 1973, student, Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. March 1973 - November 1973, student, undergraduate navigator training, Mather AFB, Calif.
4. January 1974 - July 1974, student, F-4 replacement training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. August 1974 - December 1976, F-4D weapons system operator and instructor weapons systems operator, 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
6. January 1977 - February 1978, student, pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
7. April 1978 - June 1978, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. July 1978 - December 1978, student, F-15A replacement training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
9. January 1979 - May 1983, F-15A/C pilot; instructor pilot; standardization and evaluation pilot; weapons and tactics officer; and flight commander, 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
10. June 1983 - July 1985, F-15A/C instructor pilot; Chief, Advanced Weapons Department, and Chief of Academics, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. August 1985 - June 1986, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 1986 - June 1988, air operations staff officer, later, Chief, Air-to-Air Fighter Requirements, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. July 1988 - November 1990, Deputy Commander for Operations, later, Commander, 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
14. December 1990 - July 1991, Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
15. August 1991 - June 1992, student, National War College, Washington, D.C.
16. July 1992 - August 1994, Commander, 3rd Operations Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
17. August 1994 - July 1996, Deputy Chief, later, Chief, Forces Division, later, Special Assistant to the Director, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
18. July 1996 - October 1997, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
19. October 1997 - May 1999, Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
20. May 1999 - November 2000, Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs, Asia/Pacific and Middle East, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
21. November 2000 - September 2002, Commander, 13th Air Force, Andersen AFB, Guam
22. September 2002 - October 2003, Deputy Commander, Joint Headquarters North, NATO, Stavanger, Norway
23. October 2003 - present, Deputy Director, Joint Warfare Center, NATO, Stavanger, Norway

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot, navigator
Flight hours: More than 3,600
Aircraft flown: F-4 and F-15

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Feb. 8, 1973
First Lieutenant Feb. 8, 1975
Captain Feb. 8, 1977
Major Oct. 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1987
Colonel Jan. 1, 1992
Brigadier General July 1, 1997
Major General July 1, 2000

(Current as of April 2004)