MAJOR GENERAL D. BRUCE SMITH Major General D. Bruce Smith is commandant, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He directs and evaluates the post-graduate-level programs of the U.S. Air Force's senior professional military educational institution. Through joint education and senior leader development, Air War College prepares senior U.S. and international officers and civilians from approximately 40 countries to improve the Air Force's contribution to national security. The curriculum is focused on military strategy and the employment of air and space power. The general commands a faculty and staff of 150 which provide training to 250 resident and approximately 4,000 nonresident students annually. He is also a member of the Military Education Coordinating Conference, a joint body chartered by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to oversee military education issues. The general graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1964. During early assignments, he served primarily as a B-52 aircraft commander/standardization and evaluation instructor pilot. He subsequently held several positions as an F-4 fighter pilot, along with operational and staff positions at squadron and wing levels in both F-4 and B-52 units. The general is a joint specialty officer and has served on the headquarters staffs of Strategic Air Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, U.S. Forces Command, and in the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His command experience includes command of the 97th Bombardment Wing at Blytheville (subsequently renamed Eaker) Air Force Base, Ark., and a NATO assignment as deputy commander, Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force, Izmir, Turkey. The general is a command pilot with more than 4,900 flying hours, including 820 combat hours.EDUCATION1964 Bachelor of science degree in humanities, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1971 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1974 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1974 Master's degree in public administration, Auburn University, Ala. 1984 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1992 National and International Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.ASSIGNMENTS1. September 1964 - October 1965, student, initial pilot training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas 2. October 1965 - February 1966, student, B-52 qualification training, Castle Air Force Base, Calif. 3. February 1966 - April 1971, B-52H copilot, later aircraft commander and standardization and evaluation instructor pilot (included three Southeast Asia temporary duty combat tours as B-52D aircraft commander), 716th Bombardment Squadron, Kincheloe Air Force Base, Mich. 4. April - August 1971, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 5. August 1971 - August 1972, aircraft maintenance staff officer and T-39 instructor pilot, Palace Spotlight program, logistics deputate, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. 6. August 1972 - August 1973, operations staff officer and B-52D instructor pilot, 307th Strategic Wing; later aide-de-camp to the commander, 17th Air Division, U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield, Thailand 7. August 1973 - June 1974, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 8. June 1974 - May 1975, student, F-4 qualification training, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. 9. May 1975 - July 1977, F-4D pilot and assistant operations officer, 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron; then, operations officer, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. 10. July 1977 - July 1980, plans and programming staff officer, then chief, force plans division, plans deputate, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany 11. July 1980 - July 1981, operations officer, 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron; then, chief, F-4E operations training division and assistant deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. 12. July 1981 - July 1983, politico-military planner, NATO policy branch, European division, directorate of plans and programs (J-5), Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 13. July 1983 - June 1984, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 14. June 1984 - September 1985, assistant deputy commander, then deputy commander for operations, 416th Bombardment Wing, Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. 15. September 1985 - January 1987, deputy commander for operations, then vice commander, 42nd Bombardment Wing, Loring Air Force Base, Maine 16. January 1987 - June 1988, commander, 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville (renamed Eaker in May 1988) Air Force Base, Ark. 17. June 1988 - July 1992, deputy director, then director, plans, policy, and programming (J-5), Headquarters Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga. 18. July 1992 - June 1995, deputy commander, Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force, Izmir, Turkey 19. June 1995 - present, commandant, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilot, parachutistFlight hours: More than 4,900, including 820 combat hoursAircraft flown: B-52, F-4, KC-135, T-39, F-16, B-1, F-5, F-104 and TornadoPilot wings from: TurkeyMAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterBronze Star MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Medal with six oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterSouthwest Asia Service Medal with service starVietnam Service Medal with six service starsRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with PalmOTHER ACHIEVEMENTS1988 Citation of Honor, Air Force Association1991 Outstanding Public Service Award, Federal Emergency Management AgencyEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 3, 1964First Lieutenant Dec 3, 1965Captain Dec 3, 1967Major Dec 1, 1973Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1979Colonel Sep 1, 1983Brigadier General Oct 1, 1989Major General Jun 1, 1992 (Current as of October 1996)