GENERAL GILMARY MICHAEL HOSTAGE III
Gen. Mike Hostage is Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. As the commander, he is responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. The command operates more than 1,300 aircraft, 24 wings, 14 bases, and more than 300 operating locations worldwide with 98,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. When mobilized, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve contribute more than 700 aircraft and 53,000 people to ACC. As the Combat Air Forces lead agent, ACC develops strategy, doctrine, concepts, tactics, and procedures for air- and space-power employment. The command provides conventional and information warfare forces to all unified commands to ensure air, space and information superiority for warfighters and national decision-makers. The command can also be called upon to assist national agencies with intelligence, surveillance and crisis response capabilities.
Prior to assuming his current position, General Hostage was Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia. As the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command, the general was responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia.
General Hostage is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, and a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours. He has flown combat missions in multiple aircraft, logging more than 600 combat hours in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.
EDUCATION
1977 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
1993 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2003 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1978 - July 1979, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. July 1979 - July 1982, T-38 instructor pilot, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. July 1982 - January 1983, pilot, F-16A Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. January 1983 - January 1985, operational fighter pilot, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
5. January 1985 - June 1985, student, USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 1985 - June 1986, squadron weapons officer, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
7. June 1986 - July 1987, F-16C operational test pilot, 422nd Test & Evaluation Squadron, Det 1, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. July 1987 - May 1989, aide to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. May 1989 - September 1989, student, F-15C Conversion Training Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
10. September 1989 - August 1992, assistant operations officer, 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron; operations officer, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron; and Commander, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
11. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 1993 - June 1995, political-military planner, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1995 - June 1997, Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
14. June 1997 - April 1998, Assistant Director of Operations, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
15. April 1998 - January 2000, Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
16. January 2000 - July 2001, senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia
18. August 2002 - March 2004, Commander, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
19. March 2004 - October 2004, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
20. October 2004 - June 2006, Director of Intelligence and Air, Space and Information Operations (A2/3), Headquarters AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
21, June 2006 - March 2008, Director of Requirements and Integration (J8), Headquarters U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.
22. March 2008 - August 2009, Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
23. August 2009 - August 2011, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
24. September 2011 - present, Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1993 - June 1995, political-military planner, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. July 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, as a brigadier general
3. June 2006 - March 2008, Director of Requirements and Integration (J8), Headquarters U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va., as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-38, F-15A/B/C/D, F-16A/B/C/D/CJ, F-22, E-3B/C AWACS, MC-12W and T-6A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 7, 1977
First Lieutenant Nov. 7, 1979
Captain Nov. 7, 1981
Major March 1, 1987
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1990
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2002
Major General Aug. 1, 2005
Lieutenant General Aug. 5, 2009
General Sept. 13, 2011
(Current as of November 2014)
Prior to assuming his current position, General Hostage was Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia. As the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command, the general was responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia.
General Hostage is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, and a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours. He has flown combat missions in multiple aircraft, logging more than 600 combat hours in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.
EDUCATION
1977 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
1993 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2003 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1978 - July 1979, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. July 1979 - July 1982, T-38 instructor pilot, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. July 1982 - January 1983, pilot, F-16A Replacement Training Unit, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. January 1983 - January 1985, operational fighter pilot, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
5. January 1985 - June 1985, student, USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 1985 - June 1986, squadron weapons officer, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
7. June 1986 - July 1987, F-16C operational test pilot, 422nd Test & Evaluation Squadron, Det 1, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. July 1987 - May 1989, aide to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. May 1989 - September 1989, student, F-15C Conversion Training Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
10. September 1989 - August 1992, assistant operations officer, 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron; operations officer, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron; and Commander, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
11. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 1993 - June 1995, political-military planner, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1995 - June 1997, Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
14. June 1997 - April 1998, Assistant Director of Operations, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
15. April 1998 - January 2000, Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
16. January 2000 - July 2001, senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia
18. August 2002 - March 2004, Commander, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
19. March 2004 - October 2004, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
20. October 2004 - June 2006, Director of Intelligence and Air, Space and Information Operations (A2/3), Headquarters AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
21, June 2006 - March 2008, Director of Requirements and Integration (J8), Headquarters U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.
22. March 2008 - August 2009, Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
23. August 2009 - August 2011, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
24. September 2011 - present, Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1993 - June 1995, political-military planner, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. July 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, as a brigadier general
3. June 2006 - March 2008, Director of Requirements and Integration (J8), Headquarters U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va., as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-38, F-15A/B/C/D, F-16A/B/C/D/CJ, F-22, E-3B/C AWACS, MC-12W and T-6A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 7, 1977
First Lieutenant Nov. 7, 1979
Captain Nov. 7, 1981
Major March 1, 1987
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1990
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2002
Major General Aug. 1, 2005
Lieutenant General Aug. 5, 2009
General Sept. 13, 2011
(Current as of November 2014)