BRIGADIER GENERAL HUGH C. CAMERON Brigadier General Hugh C. Cameron is vice commander, 9th Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. Ninth Air Force comprises six wings in the eastern United States, with more than 350 aircraft and 26,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. As the air component for U.S. Central Command, the 9th Air Force's mission is developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility, stretching from Kenya in eastern Africa, southward to the Seychelles Islands, and across the Arabian Peninsula and Southwest Asia to Pakistan. Ninth Air Force is also responsible for the operational readiness of 30 gained National Guard and Air Force Reserve units comprising the air reserve component. The general entered the Air Force in 1972 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He has had a variety of assignments in flying and staff positions, to include command of four operational flying units and the Air Force Center for Quality Management Innovation. He is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours.EDUCATION1972 Bachelor of arts degree in business administration and management, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C. 1977 Master of arts degree in management, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley 1978 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1984 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1989 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.ASSIGNMENTS1. June 1972 - May 1973, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas 2. December 1973 - December 1976, T-38 instructor pilot, Reese Air Force Base, Texas 3. December 1976 - June 1977, student, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. 4. June 1977 - October 1980, F-111E aircraft commander and instructor pilot, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England 5. December 1980 - June 1982, F-111E instructor pilot and wing executive officer, 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. 6. June 1982 - June 1983, aide to the commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas 7. August 1983 - January 1984, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 8. January 1984 - April 1984, student, 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. 9. May 1984 - May 1985, operations officer, 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 10. May 1985 - June 1988, operations officer, 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, commander, 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. 11. June 1988 - June 1989, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 12. June 1989 - May 1991, plans officer, J-5, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. 13. June 1991 - July 1993, commander, 51st Operations Group, Osan Air Base, South Korea 14. August 1993 - June 1994, inspector general, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii 15. July 1994 - March 1995, commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 16. March 1995 - November 1996, commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska 17. December 1996 - May 1998, commander, Air Force Center for Quality and Management Innovation, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 18. May 1998 - present, vice commander, 9th Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating: Command pilotFlight hours: More than 3,600Aircraft flown: T-38, C-12, F-111, F-16, F-15E and C-130MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSLegion of Merit with oak leaf clusterBronze Star MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation MedalAir Force Achievement MedalEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 7, 1972First Lieutenant Jun 28, 1974Captain Jun 28, 1976Major Nov 1, 1981Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1985Colonel Feb 1, 1991Brigadier General Jan 1, 1996 (Current as of September 1998)