BRIGADIER GENERAL ALONZO J. WALTER JR. Brigadier General Alonzo J. Walter Jr., is deputy director of operations, J-3, National Military Command Center, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. General Walter was born in Morgan City, La., in 1928. He received his commission as a distinguished military graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program and a bachelor of science degree from Virginia Military Institute in 1949. He earned a master of science degree from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology in 1952, and graduated from the Air Command and Staff College in 1961, and the Air War College in 1966. After graduating from VMI, he attended pilot training and received his wings at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. In 1950, during the Korean War, he was assigned to the Fourth Fighter Group as an F-86 fighter pilot and flew 48 combat missions. From 1952 to 1956, General Walter served as a Fire Control Branch project officer and test pilot with the Air Force Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. During this period, he also completed Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. In July 1956 he entered the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. After graduation in 1957, he returned to Eglin Air Force Base where he served as a test pilot and fighter operations officer for the Air Proving Ground Command. In September 1960 he entered the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base. General Walter went to Headquarters Space Systems Division, Los Angeles, Calif., in July 1961, and served as project officer in the Advanced Plans Group, and later became special project officer for the Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in Washington, D.C. In March 1964 General Walter was transferred to the U.S. Air Force Academy Colo., and served for a year as Third Group air officer commanding. He left to enter the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, and after graduation attended combat crew training. In November 1966 he was assigned as plans officer at the Aerospace Studies Institute, Maxwell Air Force Base. General Walter left for the Republic of Vietnam in July 1969, where he served as XXIV Corps air liaison officer and director of a direct air support center at Da Nang Air Base. He returned to the United States in August 1970 to become a plans officer in the Directorate of Doctrine, Concepts and Objectives at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. In June 1971 General Walter became vice commander and later was commander of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., and flew F-4 Phantom IIs. In April 1974 General Walter was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff, plans and operations for Operations, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. From July 1975 to May 1978, General Walter was deputy director of operations, J-3, for the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. He assumed his present duty in May 1978. He is a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with gold star. He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general on July 1, 1974, with date of rank June 26, 1974, and is the first AFROTC graduate of the Virginia Military Institute to be so honored. (Current as of June 1978)