BRIGADIER GENERAL CHARLES D. "RICK" ETHREDGE

Brig. Gen. Charles D. "Rick" Ethredge is Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this role, General Ethredge assists the Chief of Air Force Reserve who serves as the principal adviser on Reserve matters to the Air Force Chief of Staff.

General Ethredge received his commission in 1969 through the ROTC program at Clemson University, where he received a bachelor's degree in economics. He earned his wings the following year, first flying as a C-141 co-pilot with the 58th Military Airlift Squadron, and then as a UH-1N helicopter pilot in South Vietnam. The general later served as flight examiner, operations officer and UH-1H pilot before separating from active duty in July 1976. He continued his aviation career in the Reserve, including assignments as air reserve technician, C-141 flight examiner and C-130H pilot. His commands include the 315th Operations Group at Charleston AFB, S.C., the 913th Airlift Wing at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pa., and the 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB, Miss.

General Ethredge is a command pilot with 7,600 flying hours in a variety of aircraft.

EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor's degree in economics, Clemson University, S.C.
1982 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1989 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1993 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1969 - May 1970, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laredo AFB, Texas.
2. May 1970 - August 1971, C-141 co-pilot, 58th Military Airlift Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
3. August 1971 - April 1972, UH-IN helicopter pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam
4. April 1972 - July 1974, functional check and flight examiner, 317th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. July 1974 - August 1975, rescue coordinator qualified in the T-39, Joint Coordination Center, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand
6. August 1975 - July 1976, operations officer and UH-1H pilot, Detachment 1, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
7. December 1978 - February 1982, C-141 flight examiner pilot in lead airdrop and air refueling, 707th Military Airlift Squadron (associate), Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. February 1982 - October 1993, air reserve technician, wing safety officer and aircraft operations officer, 315th Military Airlift Wing (associate), Charleston AFB, S.C.
9. October 1993 - March 1994, air reserve technician, deputy operations group commander and C-130H pilot, 94th Airlift Wing (associate), Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
10. March 1994 - March 1998, air reserve technician, later, Commander, 315th Operations Group, Charleston AFB, S.C.
11. March 1998- April 2000, Commander, 913th Airlift Wing, Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pa.
12. April 2000 - July 2004, Commander, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
13. July 2004 - present, Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 7,600
Aircraft flown: C-141, UH-1N/H, HH-43, T-39, C-130H, C-17 and WC-130J

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with four bronze stars
Vietnam Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Humanitarian Service Medal with bronze star
Air Force Overseas Award Short
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 9, 1969
First Lieutenant Nov. 9, 1970
Captain May 16, 1972
Major May 9, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel May 9, 1990
Colonel May 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 30, 2003


(Current as of August 2004)