MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD R. "BUSTER" ELLIS
Maj. Gen. Edward R. "Buster" Ellis is Commander, 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He is responsible for the day-to-day training of approximately 2,000 U.S. and allied students. The students range from entry-level flying training through advanced combat crew training, and ultimately become fully qualified aircrew personnel for the warfighting commands. The 19th Air Force is composed of more than 31,000 assigned personnel and 1,800 aircraft in 25 units throughout the United States.
General Ellis is a native of Montgomery, Ala. He entered the Air Force in July 1971 after receiving his commission through the University of Alabama ROTC program. He has held a number of command, flying and staff positions. In 1999, General Ellis served as the night director of the Balkans Combined Air Operations Center in Vicenza, Italy, during Operation Allied Force. In 2001, he was assigned as Commander, Combined Task Force Operation Northern Watch at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, enforcing United Nations' sanctions on the Saddam Hussein regime in northern Iraq. There General Ellis commanded a task force comprising A-10A, C-130, E-3B, EA-6B, F-16CG, F-16J, F-15C, F-15E, KC-135E/R and Royal Air Force Jaguars.
General Ellis is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, including 240 combat hours in the F-15C and F-15E in support of Operation Northern Watch.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of Science degree in business management, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
1970 Master of Arts degree in business statistics, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1984 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1986 Air War College, by correspondence
1988 National Security Management Course, by correspondence
1991 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1999 Harvard Ukranian National Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2004 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1971 - November 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Craig AFB, Ala.
2. November 1972 - July 1977, T-37 instructor pilot, 43rd Flying Training Squadron, later, flight examiner, 29th Flying Training Wing, Craig AFB, Ala.
3. August 1977 - August 1980, F-4E pilot and assistant flight commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. September 1980 - August 1983, section commander, operations officer for the director of student operations, and executive officer to the commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
5. September 1983 - June 1984, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. September 1984 - June 1986, F-4E pilot and assistant operations officer, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron; executive officer to the commander, 51st Tactical Fighter Wing; and operations officer, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
7. July 1986 - June 1988, faculty instructor and Commander, 3823rd Air Command and Staff College Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 1988 - August 1990, Commander, 35th Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas
9. August 1990 - June 1991, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
10. June 1991 - May 1994, Chief, Caribbean Basin Branch, later, Chief, Western Hemisphere Division, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
11. May 1994 - July 1995, Chief, Flying Training Division, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
12. July 1995 - February 1997, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
13. March 1997 - October 1997, Commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. November 1997 - July 1999, Commander, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. September 1999 - January 2000, Deputy Commander, 5th Allied Tactical Air Force, Vicenza, Italy
16. January 2000 - March 2001, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center Seven, Larissa, Greece
17. March 2001 - August 2002, Commander, Combined Task Force Operation Northern Watch, U.S. European Command, Incirlik AB, Turkey
18. August 2002 - May 2004, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Naples, Italy
19. June 2004 - present, Commander, 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,300, including 240 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, T-1, F-4E, F-15C and F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
NATO Medal with bronze star (Kosovo)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1971
First Lieutenant July 14, 1972
Captain Jan. 14, 1975
Major Jan. 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1987
Colonel April 1, 1991
Brigadier General Sept. 1, 1998
Major General Aug. 1, 2002
(Current as of July 2005)
General Ellis is a native of Montgomery, Ala. He entered the Air Force in July 1971 after receiving his commission through the University of Alabama ROTC program. He has held a number of command, flying and staff positions. In 1999, General Ellis served as the night director of the Balkans Combined Air Operations Center in Vicenza, Italy, during Operation Allied Force. In 2001, he was assigned as Commander, Combined Task Force Operation Northern Watch at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, enforcing United Nations' sanctions on the Saddam Hussein regime in northern Iraq. There General Ellis commanded a task force comprising A-10A, C-130, E-3B, EA-6B, F-16CG, F-16J, F-15C, F-15E, KC-135E/R and Royal Air Force Jaguars.
General Ellis is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, including 240 combat hours in the F-15C and F-15E in support of Operation Northern Watch.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of Science degree in business management, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
1970 Master of Arts degree in business statistics, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1984 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1986 Air War College, by correspondence
1988 National Security Management Course, by correspondence
1991 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1999 Harvard Ukranian National Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2004 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1971 - November 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Craig AFB, Ala.
2. November 1972 - July 1977, T-37 instructor pilot, 43rd Flying Training Squadron, later, flight examiner, 29th Flying Training Wing, Craig AFB, Ala.
3. August 1977 - August 1980, F-4E pilot and assistant flight commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. September 1980 - August 1983, section commander, operations officer for the director of student operations, and executive officer to the commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
5. September 1983 - June 1984, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. September 1984 - June 1986, F-4E pilot and assistant operations officer, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron; executive officer to the commander, 51st Tactical Fighter Wing; and operations officer, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
7. July 1986 - June 1988, faculty instructor and Commander, 3823rd Air Command and Staff College Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 1988 - August 1990, Commander, 35th Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas
9. August 1990 - June 1991, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
10. June 1991 - May 1994, Chief, Caribbean Basin Branch, later, Chief, Western Hemisphere Division, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
11. May 1994 - July 1995, Chief, Flying Training Division, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
12. July 1995 - February 1997, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
13. March 1997 - October 1997, Commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. November 1997 - July 1999, Commander, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. September 1999 - January 2000, Deputy Commander, 5th Allied Tactical Air Force, Vicenza, Italy
16. January 2000 - March 2001, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center Seven, Larissa, Greece
17. March 2001 - August 2002, Commander, Combined Task Force Operation Northern Watch, U.S. European Command, Incirlik AB, Turkey
18. August 2002 - May 2004, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Naples, Italy
19. June 2004 - present, Commander, 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,300, including 240 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, T-1, F-4E, F-15C and F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
NATO Medal with bronze star (Kosovo)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1971
First Lieutenant July 14, 1972
Captain Jan. 14, 1975
Major Jan. 1, 1983
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1987
Colonel April 1, 1991
Brigadier General Sept. 1, 1998
Major General Aug. 1, 2002
(Current as of July 2005)