MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE N. WILLIAMS Maj. Gen. George N. Williams is Commander, 21st Air Force, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. The 21st Air Force includes six active-duty wings, two operational flying groups, two mobility operations groups, and 40 Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard wings residing at more than 55 locations and eight countries. The command consists of more than 63,000 airlift, air refueling and support personnel and approximately 700 aircraft. The general directs the deployment and employment of these forces and assesses their operational readiness. General Williams entered the Air Force in 1970 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Southern Illinois University. During operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm he managed the historic airlift of the U.S. Army's XVIII Airborne Corps from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and later served as the first air component commander for the humanitarian relief efforts in Kenya and Somalia. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, General Williams served as the Director of Mobility Forces for U.S. Central Command and oversaw the largest air mobility operation since the Gulf War. At the peak of Operation Iraqi Freedom, General Williams directed the employment of more than 350 airlift and tanker aircraft engaged in combat operations across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. General Williams has commanded a tactical airlift squadron, a tactical airlift wing, two air mobility wings and a numbered air force. He is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours. Prior to assuming his current position, General Williams served as Director of Operations for Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Ill.EDUCATION1970 Bachelor of arts degree in political science, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 1974 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1977 Master of arts degree in psychology and human relations, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. 1984 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1988 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1993 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 1999 Program for Senior Managers in Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.ASSIGNMENTS1. January 1970 - January 1971, student, pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss. 2. February 1971 - July 1971, student, T-37 instructor pilot training, Randolph AFB, Texas 3. July 1971 - March 1974, T-37 instructor pilot and check pilot, 3552nd Pilot Training Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. 4. March 1974 - June 1974, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 5. June 1974 - November 1977, C-130 pilot, instructor pilot and standardization and evaluation examiner pilot, 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark. 6. November 1977 - April 1979, C-130 standardization and evaluation examiner pilot, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.7. April 1979 - January 1980, command presentations officer, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 8. January 1980 - July 1981, assistant executive officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 9. July 1981 - July 1983, aide to the commander and assistant executive officer, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas 10. August 1983 - February 1984, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 11. February 1984 - June 1985, political-military planner, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, J-5, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 12. June 1985 - August 1987, student, C-130 aircraft commander requalification, later, Commander, 17th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 13. August 1987 - June 1988, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 14. June 1988 - June 1990, Deputy Chief, later, Chief, Airlift and Rescue Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 15. June 1990 - January 1992, Vice Commander, 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C. 16. January 1992 - March 1993, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 317th Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C. 17. March 1993 - August 1994, Deputy Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 18. August 1994 - December 1995, Commander, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla. 19. December 1995 - July 1998, Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif. 20. July 1998 - July 1999, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 21. July 1999 - October 2000, Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 22. October 2000 - present, Commander, 21st Air Force, McGuire AFB, N.J.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 5,000Aircraft flown: C-130E/H/J, C-141B, C-5A/B, C-17, C-21, KC-135R, KC-10, T-37 and T-38MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDistinguished Service Medal with oak leaf clusterDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clustersAir MedalAerial Achievement MedalJoint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and five oak leaf clustersCombat Readiness Medal with oak leaf clusterArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalHumanitarian Service Medal with service starEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Dec 23, 1969First Lieutenant Jul 21, 1971Captain Feb 21, 1973Major Jan 1, 1982Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1985Colonel Oct 1, 1989Brigadier General Oct 1, 1994Major General Mar 4, 1999 (Current as of July 2003)