Maj. Gen. John D. Becker is Commander, 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The command is responsible for approximately 50 percent of the Air Force's air mobility assets and missions, and for providing Global Reach for America from six major Air Force bases in the United States and multiple locations throughout the Pacific. More than 70,000 active-duty, Reserve and Air National Guard people support airlift, tanker and aeromedical operations as part of 15th Air Force.
General Becker entered the Air Force in 1970 as a distinguished graduate of Ohio State University's ROTC program. During his 33-year career, he served as Chief of C-131 Standardization and Evaluation at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and as imagery control coordination officer at Headquarters Strategic Air Command. He served in numerous Air Mobility Command staff positions, and as Congressional Liaison at the Pentagon and on the J-5 staff in Korea. General Becker held command positions at squadron, group and twice at wing levels. Subsequently he served as the Inspector General at AMC headquarters, Commander of the Tanker Airlift Control Center, and Director of Operations and Logistics for Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command.
EDUCATION
1970 Bachelor's degree in agriculture, Ohio State University
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1977 Air Command and Staff College
1979 Master's degree in business administration, University of Nebraska
1982 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1988 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1970 - August 1971, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. August 1971 - July 1973, C-131 pilot, later, instructor aircraft commander, special airlift missions, Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany
3. July 1973 - July 1975, Chief of C-131 Standardization and Evaluation, 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, later Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
4. July 1975 - October 1975, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
5. October 1975 - May 1976, student, Photo Interpreters School, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
6. June 1976 - August 1978, Chief, Analysis Presentation Branch, later, imagery control coordination officer, 544th Intelligence Application Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
7. August 1978 - January 1980, C-9 pilot, later, aircraft commander, 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
8. January 1980 - August 1981, executive officer, 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
9. August 1981 - January 1982, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
10. January 1982 - April 1982, special airlift aircrew training officer, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
11. April 1982 - January 1983, Chief, Operational Briefing Branch, Military Airlift Combat Operations, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
12. January 1983 - April 1985, Chief of Protocol, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
13. April 1985 - August 1987, Commander, 11th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
14. August 1987 - June 1988, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
15. June 1988 - July 1990, Deputy for Congressional Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Financial Management and Comptroller, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. July 1990 - November 1991, Assistant Deputy Commander, later, Deputy Commander for Operations, 60th Military Airlift Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
17. November 1991 - July 1993, Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
18. July 1993 - June 1995, Chief, Policy and Strategies Division, J-5, U.S. Combined Forces Command, Yongsan, South Korea
19. June 1995 - December 1995, Executive Officer to the Commander in Chief of U.S. Transportation Command and to the Commander of Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
20. December 1995 - June 1996, Vice Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
21. June 1996 - September 1996, Commander, 6th Air Base Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
22. October 1996 - November 1997, Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
23. November 1997 - June 1998, Inspector General, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
24. June 1998 - May 1999, Commander, 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
25. May 1999 - January 2000, Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
26. January 2000 - July 2001, Director of Operations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
27. July 2001 - present, Commander, 15th Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 6,500
Aircraft flown: C-9, C-21, C-131, C-141, C-5, KC-10, KC-135, T/CT-39 and C-17
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 3, 1970
First Lieutenant Feb 28, 1971
Captain Dec 28, 1973
Major Nov 28, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1984
Colonel Aug 1, 1989
Brigadier General Aug 1, 1996
Major General Oct 1, 1999
(Current as of December 2003)