BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM J. LAKE

Brig. Gen. William J. Lake is commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. He is responsible for the operation of the Air Force's only F-117A Nighthawk wing. He also oversees the operation of flight training for German air force crewmembers in the F-4F.

The general was commissioned in 1971 upon graduation from Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base. He has served in various flying and staff positions and commanded an operational F-117A stealth fighter squadron; the 80th Flying Training Wing for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program; and the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base. He is a command pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours in the T/AT-38, F-4, F-5, A-7, F-15, F-16 and F-117. He participated in Operation Desert Storm and flew 15 combat missions over Iraq.

EDUCATION
1970 Bachelor's degree in marketing, University of Tennessee
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1976 Master's degree in international relations, Troy State University
1980 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1985 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1986 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1990 Royal College of Defence Studies, London, England
1994 Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh
1998 John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1999 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1971 - September 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. October 1972 - June 1973, Replacement Training Unit, George Air Force Base, Calif.
3. July 1973 - August 1976, aircraft commander and instructor pilot, 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany
4. August 1976 - May 1979, instructor pilot, 465th and 434th tactical training squadrons, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
5. August 1979 - August 1980, instructor pilot and operations adviser to Royal Saudi air force, King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia
6. August 1980 - July 1984, instructor pilot, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, and flight commander, 16th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
7. August 1984 - January 1985, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
8. January 1985 - May 1987, F-16 functional manager; chief, Fighter Management Branch and assistant chief, Fighter Management Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
9. August 1987 - December 1989, operations officer, 4450th Tactical Group; commander, 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron; and assistant deputy commander for operations, 37th Fighter Wing, Tonopah Test Range, Nev.
10. January 1990 - December 1990, student, Royal College of Defence Studies, London, England
11. February 1991 - July 1992, vice commander, 39th Tactical Group, and vice commander, Combined Forces Air Component and 7440th Composite Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
12. July 1992 - January 1994, commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
13. January 1994 - October 1996, deputy chief of staff, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
14. November 1996 - June 1998, commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
15. June 1998 - present, commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 4,200
Aircraft flown: A-7, F-4, F-5, F-15, F-16, F-117A Nighthawk and T/AT-38

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1982 U.S. Air Force Aviator's Valor Award
1983 Anthony C. Shine Fighter Pilot Award
Commander's Special Achievement Award, Tactical Air Command

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jul 30, 1971
First Lieutenant Feb 1, 1973
Captain Jul 30, 1975
Major Jun 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1986
Colonel Apr 1, 1991
Brigadier General Sep 1, 1997

(Current as of September 2000)