MAJOR GENERAL RICK B. MATTSON Maj. Gen. Rick B. Mattson is the Chief, Office of the Defense Representative, Pakistan. In this capacity, he coordinates U.S., coalition, and Pakistan military activities in support of operations Resolute Support and Freedom’s Sentinel. Additionally, General Mattson leads a joint team in planning and executing approximately $1.2 billion in U.S. security assistance grants and reimbursements to Pakistan. As a member of the Embassy Country Team, he promotes U.S. security goals by building capacity and developing relationships, sustaining a mutually beneficial defense relationship with Pakistan. General Mattson received his commission in 1981 through the ROTC program and holds a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, and an M.A. from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. After graduating pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas in 1983, he served seven years on active duty as an F-4 Instructor and F-5 Aggressor before joining the Michigan Air National Guard. He has served as a Fighter Squadron Commander, Deputy Group Commander, Air Force Component Commander, Division Chief, Deputy Director, Director and Senior Defense Official/Representative at two U.S. Embassies. General Mattson has performed multiple combat tours in support of operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, counter-drug Operation Coronet Nighthawk-Panama and air sovereignty missions in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Prior to his assignment as the Director of Exercises and Training on the Headquarters Central Command Staff, General Mattson served three years as the Senior Defense Official; Senior Defense Attaché and Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation, U.S. Embassy-Kuwait. The general is a command pilot with more than 2,900 hours in the F-4, F-5, F-16 and A-10 fighter and attack aircraft. Additionally, he has conducted numerous outside-the-wire ground missions in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of counter improvised explosive device and nation building operations as part of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Task Force, Task Force Paladin and Joint Expeditionary Task Airmen. EDUCATION 1981 Bachelor of Arts degree in history, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash. 1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1996 Master of Arts degree in liberal studies, Duke University, Durham, N.C. 1999 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2003 Air War College, by correspondence 2011 Joint Military Attaché School, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C. ASSIGNMENTS 1. April 1982 - April 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas 2. April 1983 - July 1983, student, fighter lead-in training, 416th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 3. July 1983 - October 1986, F-4 instructor pilot, 171st Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. 4. October 1986 - December 1986, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 5. December 1986 - February 1987, F-4 instructor pilot, 171st Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 6. February 1987 - July 1989, F-5E aggressor pilot, 65th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 7. July 1989 - July 1990, F-4 instructor pilot, 171st Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 8. July 1990 - August 1993, F-16 instructor pilot, 171st Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 9. August 1993 - February 1998, F-16 weapons officer and flight commander, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 10. February 1998 - August 2000, operations officer, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 11. August 2000 - February 2003, Commander, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. 12. February 2003 - December 2003, Director of Operations, Joint Forces Headquarters, Michigan ANG, Mich. 13. December 2003 - September 2004, action officer, Future Total Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 14. September 2004 - April 2005, U.S. Air Force Component Commander, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Task Force Field Team, Baghdad 15. April 2005 - July 2005, student, A-10 training, 47th Fighter Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La. 16. July 2005 - September 2005, Director of Operations, Joint Forces Headquarters, Michigan Air National Guard, Mich. 17. September 2005 - September 2006, Division Chief, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 18. September 2006 - May 2007, Deputy Director, Counter-Improvised Explosive Device, International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan 19. May 2007 - April 2008, Director of Operations, Joint Forces Headquarters, Michigan ANG, Mich. 20. April 2008 - January 2011, Director of Plans and Programs, Joint Forces Headquarters, Michigan ANG, Mich. (September 2008 - June 2009, Deputy Commander, 732nd Air Expeditionary Group, Joint Base Balad, Iraq) 21. January 2011 - May 2011, Assistant Adjutant General, Michigan National Guard, Lansing, Mich. 22. May 2011 – June 2014, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Kuwait City, Kuwait 23. June 2014 – March 2016, Director, Exercises and Training, (CCJ7) USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla. 24. March 2016 - present, Chief, Office of the Defense Representative Pakistan, U.S. Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 2004 - April 2005, U.S. Air Force Component Commander, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Task Force Field Team, Baghdad, as a colonel 2. September 2006 - May 2007, Deputy Director, Counter-Improvised Explosive Device, International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel 3. May 2011 – June 2014, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Kuwait City, Kuwait, as a brigadier general 4. June 2014 – March 2016, Director, Exercises and Training, CCJ7, USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major general 5. March 2016 - present, Chief, Office of the Defense Representative Pakistan, U.S. Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan, as a major general FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 2,900 Aircraft flown: F-4, F-5, F-16, and A-10 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Combat Action Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal with bronze star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with three bronze stars Afghanistan Campaign Medal with gold star Iraq Campaign Medal with two gold stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and oak leaf cluster Air Force Longevity Service with one silver oak leaf cluster and bronze oak leaf cluster Armed Forces Reserve Medal with six 'M' and silver hourglass devices Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Rifle) Air Force Training Ribbon NATO Medal BADGES Command Pilot Basic Parachutist Military Free Fall Parachutist (HALO/HAHO) Headquarters Air Force OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2007 Order of Saint Maurice - Legionnaire, National Infantry Association PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS National Guard Association of the United States National Guard Association of Michigan Airline Pilot Association – American Airlines EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant Dec. 27, 1981 First Lieutenant Dec. 27, 1983 Captain Dec. 27, 1985 Major Sept. 9, 1995 Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 30, 1999 Colonel July 22, 2004 Brigadier General Feb. 9, 2011 Major General April 11, 2014 (Current as of September 2017)