MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD L. LAFOUNTAINE
Maj. Gen. Edward L. LaFountaine is the Director of Logistics and Security Assistance, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany. He oversees the direction and management of international security assistance and the coordinated logistical support for all U.S. forces in 91 European, Asian, and African countries of the U.S. European Command.
General LaFountaine entered the Air Force upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1972. During his career he has led operational units at the group, wing and major command levels; was commander of Air Force and joint schools; and served multiple tours at the Headquarters Air Force and joint levels. His involvement with deployed operations includes controlling airlift operations in Panama during Operation Just Cause, and providing total force and Civil Reserve Air Fleet air mobility and air refueling support to operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to assuming his current position, he was Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
A command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, General LaFountaine has flown multiple rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.
EDUCATION
1972 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1978 Master of Arts degree in management, Chapman College, Orange, Calif.
1978 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1981 U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1982 National Security Management Course, by correspondence
1983 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1997 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
2001 Joint Flag Officers Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 Senior Executive Seminar, George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies, Garmisch, Germany
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1972 - May 1973, student, undergraduate helicopter pilot training, Fort Wolters, Texas, and Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. August 1973 - December 1973, student, HH-3 pilot training, Hill AFB, Utah
3. December 1973 - August 1975, HH-3 pilot, 5040th Helicopter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. August 1975 - September 1978, HH-3 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. September 1978 - December 1978, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. December 1978 - December 1979, assistant F-16 program monitor and advanced medium short-takeoff-and-landing-transport program monitor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. January 1980 - August 1980, student, fixed wing conversion training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
8. August 1980 - August 1982, C-130 aircraft commander, 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. August 1982 - June 1983, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 1983 - July 1987, Deputy Division Chief, Congressional Activities Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1987 - July 1988, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 1988 - July 1990, Director of Operations, 61st Military Airlift Group, Howard AFB, Panama
13. August 1990 - August 1991, Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Rescue Service, McClellan AFB, Calif.
14. August 1991 - July 1993, Director of Programs and Budget, J-5, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
15. July 1993 - April 1995, Commandant, U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
16. April 1995 - November 1995, Vice Commander, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
17. November 1995 - February 1997, Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
18. March 1997 - June 1998, Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
19. August 1998 - June 1999, Vice Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
20. June 1999 - June 2000, Director, Aerospace Expeditionary Force Center, Blue Team, Langley AFB, Va.
21. June 2000 - October 2000, Commandant, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
22. October 2000 - May 2002, Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
23. May 2002 - July 2003, Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
24. July 2003 - present, Director of Logistics and Security Assistance, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,500
Aircraft: C-130, AC-130, HC-130, C-135, WC-135, H-1, HH-3, HH-60 and MH-53
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 7, 1972
First Lieutenant June 7, 1974
Captain June 7, 1976
Major Nov. 1, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985
Colonel Oct. 1, 1989
Brigadier General Aug. 1, 1997
Major General Aug. 1, 2001
(Current as of September 2005)
General LaFountaine entered the Air Force upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1972. During his career he has led operational units at the group, wing and major command levels; was commander of Air Force and joint schools; and served multiple tours at the Headquarters Air Force and joint levels. His involvement with deployed operations includes controlling airlift operations in Panama during Operation Just Cause, and providing total force and Civil Reserve Air Fleet air mobility and air refueling support to operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to assuming his current position, he was Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
A command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, General LaFountaine has flown multiple rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.
EDUCATION
1972 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1978 Master of Arts degree in management, Chapman College, Orange, Calif.
1978 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1981 U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1982 National Security Management Course, by correspondence
1983 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1997 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
2001 Joint Flag Officers Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 Senior Executive Seminar, George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies, Garmisch, Germany
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1972 - May 1973, student, undergraduate helicopter pilot training, Fort Wolters, Texas, and Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. August 1973 - December 1973, student, HH-3 pilot training, Hill AFB, Utah
3. December 1973 - August 1975, HH-3 pilot, 5040th Helicopter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. August 1975 - September 1978, HH-3 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. September 1978 - December 1978, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. December 1978 - December 1979, assistant F-16 program monitor and advanced medium short-takeoff-and-landing-transport program monitor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. January 1980 - August 1980, student, fixed wing conversion training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
8. August 1980 - August 1982, C-130 aircraft commander, 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. August 1982 - June 1983, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 1983 - July 1987, Deputy Division Chief, Congressional Activities Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1987 - July 1988, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 1988 - July 1990, Director of Operations, 61st Military Airlift Group, Howard AFB, Panama
13. August 1990 - August 1991, Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Rescue Service, McClellan AFB, Calif.
14. August 1991 - July 1993, Director of Programs and Budget, J-5, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
15. July 1993 - April 1995, Commandant, U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
16. April 1995 - November 1995, Vice Commander, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
17. November 1995 - February 1997, Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
18. March 1997 - June 1998, Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
19. August 1998 - June 1999, Vice Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
20. June 1999 - June 2000, Director, Aerospace Expeditionary Force Center, Blue Team, Langley AFB, Va.
21. June 2000 - October 2000, Commandant, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
22. October 2000 - May 2002, Commandant, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
23. May 2002 - July 2003, Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
24. July 2003 - present, Director of Logistics and Security Assistance, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,500
Aircraft: C-130, AC-130, HC-130, C-135, WC-135, H-1, HH-3, HH-60 and MH-53
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 7, 1972
First Lieutenant June 7, 1974
Captain June 7, 1976
Major Nov. 1, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985
Colonel Oct. 1, 1989
Brigadier General Aug. 1, 1997
Major General Aug. 1, 2001
(Current as of September 2005)