Maj. Gen. Gary M. Batinich is the Mobilization Assistant (MA) to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He assists in the management of all Air Force Reserve units around the world, consisting of approximately 70,000 citizen Airmen and more than 300 aircraft among three numbered air forces, 33 flying wings, 12 flying groups and one space wing.
General Batinich is a native of Eveleth, Minnesota, and received his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978. General Batinich has commanded at the squadron and wing levels serving as the Commander of the 466th Fighter Squadron and as the Vice Commander and Commander of the 419th Fighter Wing. He previously served as Mobilization Assistant to the ACC A3, the 12th Air Force/AFSOUTH Commander and the CFACC/AFCENT Commander. The general is a command pilot with approximately 1,100 hours in the T-38 and 3,300 hours in several different models of the F-16. He has served in Operation Provide Comfort II, operations Southern and Northern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom, where he has accumulated over 120 combat flying hours. In his civilian occupation, he is a captain for a major airline.
EDUCATION
1978 Bachelor of Science in Financial Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1981 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1997 Master of Business Administration, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
2000 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 Senior Executive in National and International Security Course, Harvard, Kennedy School of Government
2010 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2010 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course (CFACC)
2010 Executive Course in National and International Security, Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1978 - July 1979, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. July 1979 - December 1982, T-38 Instructor Pilot And Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. December 1982 - March 1983, Student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
4. March 1983 - November 1983, Student, F-16 training, 63rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
5. November 1983 - December 1984, F-16 Aircraft Commander, 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea.
6. December 1984 - July 1987, F-16 Instructor Pilot and Chief of Scheduling, 16th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
7. July 1987 - March 1999, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, and Assistant Operations Officer, 466th Fighter Squadron and 419th Operations Group, Hill AFB, Utah
8. March 1999 - September 2000, Commander, 419th Operations Support Flight, Hill AFB, Utah
9. September 2000 - March 2003, Commander, 466th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
10. March 2003 - August 2004, Vice Commander, 419th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
11. August 2004 - September 2008, Commander, 419th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
12. September 2008 - February 2010, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. March 2010 - August 2011, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Forces Southern/12th Air Force, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
14. August 2011 - May 2014, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
15. May 2014 - September 2014, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
16. September 2014 - present, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,400
Aircraft flown: T-38 and F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Gallant Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and four bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Honorary Chief Master Sergeant
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Societies
Life member, Reserve Officers Association
Inaugural member, U.S. Air Force Academy Ice Hockey Wall of Fame
Life member, U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates
Life member, Air Force Association
USA Hockey
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1978
First Lieutenant May 31, 1980
Captain May 31, 1982
Major May 31, 1992
Lieutenant Colonel March 17, 1999
Colonel March 9, 2003
Brigadier General Aug. 16, 2008
Major General Feb. 17, 2012
(Current as of December 2014)