Maj. Gen. Paul L. Ayers serves as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command. He is responsible for advising and assisting the Commander and staff on formulating, developing and coordinating policies and programs impacting more than 106,000 Air National Guard members. General Ayers ensures mission requirements of the 88 Flying Wings and 88 Support Units are considered in the planning and execution phases of the Air Education and Training Command.
After receiving his commission as a distinguished graduate through the Reserve Officer Training Corps, General Ayers attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. Upon receiving his wings, he was assigned to the 25th Flying Training Squadron as a T-38 Instructor/Evaluator Pilot. He was then assigned to the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va., where he served as an F-15 Aircraft Commander/Instructor, Flight Commander and 1st Tactical Fighter Wing Safety Officer. General Ayers was subsequently assigned to the U.S. Air Force/Canadian Forces Exchange Program where he served as an F-18 Aircraft Commander/Instructor with the 425th Squadron, Bagotville Air Base, Quebec. He transferred to the Rhode Island Air National Guard in 1993. He has served at the 143rd Airlift Wing as a C-130 Aircraft Commander, Command Post Controller, 143rd Airlift Squadron Commander, 143rd Operations Group Commander and Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Rhode Island Air National Guard. General Ayers served in a dual-hat capacity as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 24th Air Force.
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, University of New Hampshire, Durham
1985 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., distinguished graduate
1990 Defense Language Institute, French Basic, Presidio of Monterey, California
1996 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2005 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 Master of Business Administration, Strategic Leadership, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah
2010 Dual Status Title 10/32 Joint Task Force Commander's Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1982 - November 1982, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 71st Student Squadron, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. November 1982 - June 1983, Student, Pilot Instructor Training Course, T-38, 12th Student Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. June 1983 - July 1984, Instructor Pilot, T-38, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. July 1984 - March 1985, Instructor Pilot/Runway Supervisory Unit Controller, T-38, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
5. March 1985 - May 1985, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. May 1985 - November 1985, Squadron Check Pilot Runway Supervisory Unit Upgrade Controller, T-38, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
7. November 1985 - November 1986, Flight Examiner Runway Supervisory Unit Upgrade Controller, T-38, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
8. November 1986 - February 1987, Student, Lead-in Fighter Training Course, AT-38, 479th Tactical Training Wing, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
9. February 1987 - July 1987, Student, Operational Training Course, F-15, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
10. July 1987 - May 1988, Aircraft Commander, F-15, 94th Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
11. May 1988 - May 1989, Chief, Flight Safety, 94th Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
12. May 1989 - April 1990, Flight Commander, 94th Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
13. April 1990 - November 1990, Student, Defense Language Institute, 3484th Student Squadron Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
14. November 1990 - June 1991, Operational Training Course, CF-18, 410th Squadron, Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
15. June 1991 - December 1992, U.S. Air Force/Canadian Forces Weapons and Tactics Instructor, CF-18, 425th Squadron, Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, Quebec, Canada
16. December 1992 - August 1997, Air Operations Officer, Pilot, C-130, 143rd Airlift Squadron, Quonset Air National Guard Base, R.I.
17. August 1997 - August 2002, Aircraft Commander, C-130, 143rd Airlift Squadron, Quonset Air National Guard Base, R.I.
18. August 2002 - August 2004, Commander, 143rd Airlift Squadron, Quonset Air National Guard Base, R.I.
19. August 2004 - July 2008, Commander, 143rd Operations Group, Quonset Air National Guard Base, R.I
20. July 2008 - February 2012, Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Rhode Island National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Cranston, R.I.; dual-hatted, December 2010 - January 2012, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 24th Air Force, Air Force Space Command, Lackland AFB, Texas
21. February 2012 - April 2012, Mobilization Assistant to Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, Fort Meade, Md.
22. April 2012 - present, Air National Guard Assistant to Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,500
Aircraft flown: C-130J, C-130E, CF-18A, F-15, T-38A, T-37A
Pilot Wings from: Vance AFB, Okla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Air Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
(Current as of March 2013)