GENERAL ROBERT L. RUTHERFORD General Robert L. Rutherford is commander in chief of the United States Transportation Command, and commander of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. As a unified command commander in chief, he is responsible to the secretary of defense for the nation's defense transportation requirements. He exercises command over service transportation components from the Army, Navy and Air Force. As commander of AMC, he provides operationally trained, equipped and mission-ready air mobility forces to support U.S. requirements. The general entered the Air Force in 1961 as a distinguished graduate of Southwest Texas State University's Reserve Officer Training Corps program. During his 33-year Air Force career, he has held nine command positions at squadron, wing, numbered air force and major command levels. The general is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in various airlift, tanker, fighter and trainer aircraft. He has flown 161 combat missions in the F-4 fighter, including 101 missions over North Vietnam. In addition to his command experience, General Rutherford has been assigned to duties in the personnel, manpower, and programs and resources arenas with nearly nine years of work at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and the Air Force Military Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. EDUCATION 1961 Bachelor's degree in business administration, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 1964 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1971 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1979 Master's degree in business administration, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala. 1979 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1986 National and International Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 1961 - October 1966, student, undergraduate pilot training, then flight instructor and T-38 instructor, Reese Air Force Base, Texas 2. October 1966 - April 1967, F-4 pilot, 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, George Air Force Base, Calif. 3. April 1967 - July 1967, F-4 aircraft commander, 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. 4. July 1967 - May 1968, F-4 aircraft commander, 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand 5. May 1968 - January 1971, operations staff officer, Airspace and Air Traffic Control Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 6. January 1971 - July 1971, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 7. July 1971 - May 1972, staff officer, Colonels Group, directorate of personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 8. June 1972 - May 1973, chief, critical skill management division, Colonels Group, Directorate of Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 9. May 1973 - February 1975, chief, Regular General Officer Assignment Division, Directorate of Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 10. February 1975 - September 1975, T-38 instructor pilot; commander, 71st Flying Training Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. 11. September 1975 - July 1978, deputy commander for operations, 38th Flying Training Wing; assistant deputy commander for operations, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing; commander, 339th Tactical Fighter Squadron; commander, 347th Combat Support Group, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. 12. August 1978 - July 1979, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 13. July 1979 - June 1980, deputy commander for operations, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 14. June 1980 - August 1982, vice commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing; commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Group; commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan 15. September 1982 - September 1983, vice commander, Air Force Military Personnel Center, and assistant deputy chief of staff for military personnel, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 16. September 1983 - January 1985, commander, U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service, and deputy chief of staff for recruiting, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 17. January 1985 - March 1987, deputy director of programs and evaluation, director of manpower and organization, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 18. March 1987 - April 1988, deputy chief of staff for operations, and deputy director of operations for the European Air Combat Operations Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany 19. April 1988 - October 1989, commander, 17th Air Force; commander, Allied Sector Three; and commander, Allied Tactical Operations Center, Sembach Air Base, West Germany 20. October 1989 - May 1991, deputy chief of staff for programs and resources, deputy chief of staff for productivity and programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 21. May 1991 - May 1992, vice commander, Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 22. May 1992 - October 1994, vice commander, then commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii 23. October 1994 - present, commander in chief, United States Transportation Command and commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 4,000 Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-4, F-15, F-16, F- 111, C-5, C-130, C-135 and C-141 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters Vietnam Service Medal with two service Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant May 28, 1961 First Lieutenant Jan 16, 1963 Captain Jan 16, 1966 Major July 1, 1969 Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1973 Colonel March 1, 1978 Brigadier General June 1, 1983 Major General Aug 1, 1986 Lieutenant General Oct 1, 1989 General Feb 1, 1993 (Current as of November 1994)