MAJOR GENERAL SLOAN R. GILL Major General Sloan R. Gill is chief of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and commander, Headquarters Air Force Reserve, a separate operating agency located at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. As chief of the Air Force Reserve, General Gill serves as the principal adviser on Reserve matters to the Air Force chief of staff. As commander of the Air Force Reserve, he has full responsibility for the supervision of all U.S. Air Force Reserve units around the world. General Gill was born in 1929, in Molena, Ga. He graduated from Staunton (Va.) Military Academy in 1948 and received a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952. Commissioned a second lieutenant in March 1952 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program, he was called to active duty in July of that year. He received primary flying training at Bainbridge, Ga., and graduated in September 1953 from advanced flying school at Enid, Okla., where he flew B-25 Mitchell bombers. His first active-duty assignment following graduation was at Westover Air Force Base, Mass., flying Douglas C-118 Liftmasters with the 30th Air Transport Squadron, Military Air Transport Service. In April 1955 the squadron transferred to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. During this assignment General Gill participated in Operation "Wounded Warrior," the air evacuation of French Foreign Legion troops from the beleaguered fortress at Dien Bien Phu, North Vietnam, to French bases in North Africa. In December 1955 he was the first C-118 pilot to establish a world record for propeller-driven transports from McGuire Air Force Base to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany - 10 hours, 22 minutes. Released from active duty in September 1956, he joined the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron, Air Force Reserve, at Dobbins Air Force Base, Ga., where he qualified as an instructor pilot and flight examiner in Fairchild C-123 Providers. He became a flight commander in the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron in May 1960. In November 1961 he entered the U.S. Civil Service as base operations officer at Dobbins Air Force Base, remaining with the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron as a reservist. He was called to active duty during the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962 and flew troops and supplies to southern Florida. In November 1963 he joined the air reserve technician program, remaining with the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron. Two years later his unit changed to Douglas C-124 Globemasters and was assigned to the Military Airlift Command. The squadron was activated in January 1968 during the Pueblo crisis and flew worldwide missions in support of the Military Airlift Command. General Gill was released from active duty in June 1969 and resumed his air reserve technician duties at Dobbins Air Force Base as operations officer. He became director of operations for the 445th Military Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Force Base in July 1970. When the wing was deactivated in June 1971, General Gill was assigned as deputy commander, 918th Military Airlift Group, and deputy commander of Dobbins Air Force Base. In October 1971 he became commander of the 908th Tactical Airlift Group, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. His unit flew C-7A Caribous and was the first Reserve C-7A unit to become fully combat ready. In June 1973 General Gill assumed command of the 928th Tactical Airlift Group at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. He was also base commander of the Chicago-O'Hare Reserve Air Facility. In July 1974 General Gill transferred to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., and served as vice commander and senior air reserve technician for the 403rd Tactical Airlift Wing. He moved to Air Force Reserve headquarters at Robins Air Force Base in September 1975 and was assigned to an active duty tour as director of operations. In July 1976 he became commander of the 94th Tactical Airlift Wing, Dobbins Air Force Base. Under his command the 94th Tactical Airlift Wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. He took command of the 433rd Tactical Airlift Wing, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, in June 1978 and, from May 1979 to March 1981, he served as deputy to the chief of Air Force Reserve at Air Force headquarters. In April 1981 General Gill was named commander of 4th Air Force, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. He was appointed to a three-year term on the Air Force Reserve Forces Policy Board in April 1982. He assumed his present command in November 1982. The general is a command pilot with more than 10,000 hours military flying time. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal with service star, Vietnam Service Medal with service star, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass device, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. His civic affiliations include membership in the Reserve Officers Association (past president, Dobbins Chapter and Robins Chapter), Air Force Association, Georgia Tech Alumni Association, Chi Phi Fraternity and board of directors of the Fort Valley Oil Company. He was promoted to major general Feb. 10, 1982, with date of rank Aug. 1, 1978. (Current as of March 1984)