Maj. Gen. Carl N. Beer is deputy chief of staff, plans, U.S. Air Force Space Command and assistant deputy chief of staff for plans for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, with consolidated headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
General Beer was born in Buckhannon, W.Va., in 1935, and graduated from high school in Hagerstown, Md. He earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering, magna cum laude, in 1962 and his doctorate in operations research in 1973, both from the University of Oklahoma. In 1977 General Beer was a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
He received his commission and pilot wings through the Air Force aviation cadet program. His early assignments were with the Air Defense Command, flying fighter-interceptor aircraft. After completing his master's degree in 1965, the general was assigned to Clark Air Base, Philippines. He assisted with development of the base support capability for repair and maintenance of F-4s and RF-4s in Southeast Asia.
In May 1967 the general was assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., as an F-4 instructor pilot, training aircrews for combat duty in Southeast Asia. He was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in April 1968. During the next 12 months, General Beer flew 265 combat missions and designed a maintenance and munitions management program to improve the wing's readiness posture.
In June 1969 he transferred to the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., as an instructor in the department of mathematical sciences. Two years later he was selected for the Ph.D. program at the University of Oklahoma. General Beer returned to the academy as an associate professor of mathematics and served as deputy department head until August 1976 when he entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
He was assigned as chief of the Fighter Division, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Studies and Analyses, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., in June 1977. The general led numerous study efforts addressing tactical and theater nuclear force structure, readiness issues and employment concepts. In June 1979 he was assigned as director for theater force analyses.
General Beer was then selected as executive assistant to the special assistant to the secretary of Defense. He served as the Department of Defense point of contact with the White House for meeting presidential requirements and supported the secretary and deputy secretary of Defense on a wide range of issues affecting department programs. In September 1981 General Beer was named assistant deputy chief of staff, plans, North American Aerospace Defense Command and became the first Space Command deputy chief of staff, plans, in September 1982.
The general is a command pilot with 3,540 flying hours and wears the senior space badge His military decorations and awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to major general Dec. 1, 1983, with date of rank Sept. 1, 1980.
(Current as of January 1985)