Maj. Gen. Claude M. Bolton Jr. is commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He manages foreign military sales programs with totals exceeding $60 billion that support more than 80 foreign countries. As AFMC's center of excellence for international affairs, his responsibilities also include managing the command's international cooperative programs and its foreign disclosure policy.
The general received his commission in 1969 through the University of Nebraska's Air Force ROTC program, where he was honored as a distinguished graduate. He has served in a variety of positions during his career. His duties include squadron and wing safety officer, instructor pilot, wing standardization and evaluation flight examiner, scheduler, test pilot and acquisition professional. He is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours in more than 30 different aircraft. During the Vietnam War he flew 232 combat missions, 40 over North Vietnam. He was a test pilot for the F-4, F-111 and the F-16, and the first program manager for the Advanced Tactical Fighter Technologies Program which evolved into the F-22 System Program Office.
During his tour at the Pentagon, he was the F-16 program element monitor and also saw duty in the Office of Special Programs. He was the deputy program director for the B-2 System Program Office, program director for the Advanced Cruise Missile System Program Office, then inspector general for Air Force Materiel Command. He also served as commandant of the Defense Systems Management College, as special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition and as director of requirements at AFMC headquarters. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the program executive officer for Air Force fighter and bomber programs with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
1974 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1978 Master's degree in management, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
1982 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1982 Program Management Course, Defense Systems Management College
1986 Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1991 Master's degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1969 - June 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. July 1970 - December 1970, F-105D pilot, 419th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.
3. January 1971 - May 1971, F-4 pilot, 4456th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
4. June 1971 - June 1972, F-4D/E pilot, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Nite Owls", Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
5. September 1972 - June 1974, F-111D pilot, instructor pilot and safety officer, 524th, 481st and 523rd tactical fighter squadrons, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
6. July 1974 - December 1976, F-111E pilot and instructor pilot, 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England
7. January 1977 - December 1977, student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
8. January 1978 - July 1982, F-4, F-111 and F-16 test pilot, 3245th Test Wing, and F-111 flight test and Seek Eagle manager, Armament Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
9. July 1982 - June 1985, program manager, Advanced Tactical Fighter Technologies Program (F-22 System Program Office), Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
10. July 1985 - July 1986, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
11. August 1986 - July 1988, F-16 program element monitor and deputy division chief, Aircraft Division, and later, division chief, Low Observables Vehicle Division, Office of Special Programs, Washington, D.C.
12. August 1988 - July 1989, deputy program director, B-2 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
13. August 1989 - September 1992, program director, Advanced Cruise Missile System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
14. September 1992 - March 1993, inspector general, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
15. March 1993 - March 1996, commandant, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
16. April 1996 - June 1996, special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, Washington, D.C.
17. July 1996 - June 1998, director of requirements, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
18. June 1998 - October 2000, program executive officer for fighter and bomber programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. October 2000 - May 2001, commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Air Force Materiel Command, and assistant to the commander for international affairs, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
20. May 2001 - present, commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,700
Aircraft flown: F-4C/D/E, F-16A/B, F-105D/F, F-111A/D/E/F, FB-111 and 30 different aircraft
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 16 oak leaf clusters
Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1969
First Lieutenant Nov 30, 1970
Captain May 30, 1972
Major Nov 1, 1980
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1984
Colonel Jul 1, 1988
Brigadier General Aug 1, 1993
Major General Mar 20, 1998
(Current as of June 2001)