Brig. Gen. Robert S. Arthur is the Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla. SOUTHCOM conducts joint and combined full-spectrum military operations and support whole-of-government efforts to enhance regional security and cooperation in Central and South America and the Caribbean Basin.
General Arthur received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Arizona State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He entered pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in 1978 and has since logged more than 4,000 hours as a command pilot. Prior to his current assignment, he was Vice Commander, 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.
EDUCATION
1976 Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, Arizona State University, Tempe
1977 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1983 Directorate of Soviet Affairs Course, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
1986 Air Command and Staff, by correspondence
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 National Security Studies Program on Russia and the Black Sea Region, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1978 - June 1979, student, T-37 and T-38 undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. June 1979 - September 1979, student, T-38 lead-in fighter training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. September 1979 - April 1980, F-4E student pilot, 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla.
4. April 1980 - May 1983, F-4E fighter pilot, instructor, and weapons and tactics officer, 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
5. May 1983 - November 1986, F-4E/G special tactics pilot, instructor, and standardization and evaluation examiner, 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, George AFB, Calif.
6. November 1986 - July 1996, F-4D/E and F-16A/C instructor, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and Chief of Flying and Ground Training, 704th Fighter Squadron, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
7. July 1996 - February 1998, HH-60G pilot and Deputy Commander, 939th Operations Group, Portland International Airport, Ore.
8. February 1998 - March 2002, operations officer and Deputy Commander, 301st Operations Group, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
9. March 2002 - September 2003, assistant Director of Operations, Operations Division, 10th Air Force, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
10. September 2003 - September 2004, Commander, 301st Operations Group, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
11. September 2004 - July 2006, Commander, 926th Fighter Wing, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
12. July 2006 - August 2008, Commander, 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
13. August 2008 - November 2010, Vice Commander, 10th Air Force, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
14. December 2010 - present, Deputy Director of Operations (J3), U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: A/OA-10, F-4D/E/G, F-16A/C, HH-60G, T-37 and T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass
(Current as of January 2011)