Brig. Gen. Randall W. Cason is the Special Assistant to the Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve at Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon. As Special Assistant, he provides guidance and counsel to the Deputy to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve on policy and planning for all Air Force Reserve matters.
Brig. Gen. Cason commissioned in May 1995 through the Baylor University Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and completed Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, in October 1996. As commander of the 44th Fighter Group at Tyndall AFB, Florida, he organized, trained, and equipped over 200 Airmen and deployed them for F-22 combat operations in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. He also led recovery operations of the group following the devastation of Hurricane Michael in 2018. As vice commander of the 301st Fighter Wing at NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas, he led over 2,000 mission ready Airmen to train and project combat airpower globally including an F-16 Theater Support Package in Romania, the deployment of over 300 Agile Combat Support Airmen into multiple theaters, and the wing transition to the F-35.
Brig. Gen. Cason’s joint staff duties include North American Aerospace Defense and U.S. Northern Command as Command Center Director and then initial cadre Joint Operations Center Chief of Operations. Additionally, he completed staff tours at Tenth Air Force, Nineteenth Air Force, and Air Force Reserve Command. He has served as an F-16 and F-22 Instructor and Evaluator Pilot. He is a command pilot with more than 2,300 fighter hours, has flown combat missions in support of operations Southern Watch and Northern Watch, and was the Air Force Reserve’s first F-22 pilot. In his civilian capacity, he is a pilot with a major airline.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
1996 Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2002 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1995–January 1997, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. February 1997–September 1997, Student, F-16 Basic Course, 63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. November 1997–August 2000, F-16 Pilot, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (March 1998– May 1998, F-16 Pilot, 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain) (December 1999– January 2000, F-16 Pilot, 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey)
4. August 2000–August 2002, Flight Commander, F-16 instructor pilot, 36th FS, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. September 2002–January 2004, Flight Commander, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. January 2004–January 2005, Functional Check Flight Officer in Charge, 57th Wing, F-16 Standards and Evaluations pilot, 57th Operations Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. January 2005–July 2006, F-16 Evaluator, Standards and Evaluations, 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
8. July 2006–August 2010, Commander, F-22 FTU instructor, 944th OG Det. 1, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. August 2010–November 2011, F-22 Functional Area Manager, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
10. December 2011–July 2012, Chief, Combat Air Forces Weapons, Tactics, and Training Branch, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
11. July 2012–June 2013, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, Headquarters AFRC, Robins AFB, Ga.
12. July 2013–June 2014, Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
13. December 2014–July 2016, Commander, F-22 instructor pilot, 301st FS, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
14. July 2016–January 2019, Commander, F-22 Instructor Pilot, 44th Fighter Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
15. January 2019–September 2020, Vice Commander, F-16 pilot, 301st Fighter Wing, NAS JRB, Fort Worth, Texas
16. October 2020–January 2022, Command Center Director, North American Aerospace Defense Command/U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
17. January 2022–December 2022, Joint Operations Center Chief of Operations, NORAD/USNORTHCOM, Peterson SFB, Colo.
18. January 2023–January 2025, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Nineteenth Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
19. January 2025–present, Special Assistant to the Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters Air Force, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2020–January 2022, Command Center Director, North American Aerospace Defense Command/U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., as a colonel
2. January 2022–December 2023, Joint Operations Center Chief of Operations, NORAD/USNORTHCOM, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16, and F-22
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass device
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 Distinguished Graduate, Baylor University AFROTC
2002 Graduate, Adversary Tactics Instructor Course
2007 Graduate, Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course
2008 Graduate, NATO Reserve Forces Integration Course
2010 Graduate, Aviation Safety Program Manager’s Course
2012 Graduate, Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University
2017 Graduate, NATO Senior Officer Policy Course
(Current as of January 2025)