LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN D. HOPPER JR.
Lt. Gen. John D. Hopper Jr. is Vice Commander, Air Education and Training Command, with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The command recruits, trains and educates more than 370,000 men and women for the aerospace force and the nation.
General Hopper received his commission in 1969 upon graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has flown in combat in Vietnam and as Commander of the 1660th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional) in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm. He also served as the Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in 11 different aircraft.
EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor's degree in general studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1974 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1977 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in logistics management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1982 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1997 National Security Leadership Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y., and Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1969 - September 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. February 1971 - May 1972, C-130 pilot, Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, and Vietnam
3. May 1972 - June 1976, T-37 instructor pilot, academic instructor and class commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. June 1976 - June 1977, student, Air Force Institute of Technology School for Systems and Logistics, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
5. June 1977 - June 1981, Deputy Director of Cadet Logistics, and aide to the Superintendent and Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 12, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
6. June 1981 - June 1982, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 1982 - March 1984, chief, pilot and assistant operations officer, 18th Military Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
8. March 1984 - June 1985, Chief, Wing Command Post, 438th Military Airlift Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
9. June 1985 - May 1987, Commander, 438th Field Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
10. May 1987 - June 1988, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1988 - July 1990, Chief, Exercise Division, Headquarters U.S. Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.
12. July 1990 - August 1991, Deputy Commander for Operations, 63rd Military Airlift Wing, Norton AFB, Calif. (December 1990 - May 1991, Commander, 1660th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional), Thumrait, Oman, Southwest Asia)
13. August 1991 - August 1992, Commander, 89th Operations Group, Andrews AFB, Md.
14. August 1992 - December 1993, Commander, 63rd Airlift Wing, Norton AFB, Calif.
15. December 1993 - October 1994, Commander, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
16. November 1994 - July 1996, Commandant of Cadets and Commander, 34th Training Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
17. July 1996 - July 1998, Vice Director for Logistics, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. July 1998 - July 1999, Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. July 1999 - October 2000, Commander, 21st Air Force, McGuire AFB, N.J.
20. October 2000 - present, Vice Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: C-17, C-21, C-130, C-141, KC-135R, T-1A, T-37, T-38, UH-1, UV-18 and VC-137
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 4, 1969
First Lieutenant Dec. 4, 1970
Captain June 4, 1972
Major Oct. 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1984
Colonel July 1, 1988
Brigadier General July 15, 1994
Major General Jan. 1, 1997
Lieutenant General Jan. 1, 2001
(Current as of May 2005)
General Hopper received his commission in 1969 upon graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has flown in combat in Vietnam and as Commander of the 1660th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional) in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm. He also served as the Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in 11 different aircraft.
EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor's degree in general studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1974 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1977 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in logistics management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1982 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1997 National Security Leadership Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y., and Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1969 - September 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. February 1971 - May 1972, C-130 pilot, Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, and Vietnam
3. May 1972 - June 1976, T-37 instructor pilot, academic instructor and class commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. June 1976 - June 1977, student, Air Force Institute of Technology School for Systems and Logistics, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
5. June 1977 - June 1981, Deputy Director of Cadet Logistics, and aide to the Superintendent and Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron 12, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
6. June 1981 - June 1982, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 1982 - March 1984, chief, pilot and assistant operations officer, 18th Military Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
8. March 1984 - June 1985, Chief, Wing Command Post, 438th Military Airlift Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
9. June 1985 - May 1987, Commander, 438th Field Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
10. May 1987 - June 1988, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1988 - July 1990, Chief, Exercise Division, Headquarters U.S. Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.
12. July 1990 - August 1991, Deputy Commander for Operations, 63rd Military Airlift Wing, Norton AFB, Calif. (December 1990 - May 1991, Commander, 1660th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional), Thumrait, Oman, Southwest Asia)
13. August 1991 - August 1992, Commander, 89th Operations Group, Andrews AFB, Md.
14. August 1992 - December 1993, Commander, 63rd Airlift Wing, Norton AFB, Calif.
15. December 1993 - October 1994, Commander, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
16. November 1994 - July 1996, Commandant of Cadets and Commander, 34th Training Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
17. July 1996 - July 1998, Vice Director for Logistics, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. July 1998 - July 1999, Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. July 1999 - October 2000, Commander, 21st Air Force, McGuire AFB, N.J.
20. October 2000 - present, Vice Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: C-17, C-21, C-130, C-141, KC-135R, T-1A, T-37, T-38, UH-1, UV-18 and VC-137
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 4, 1969
First Lieutenant Dec. 4, 1970
Captain June 4, 1972
Major Oct. 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1984
Colonel July 1, 1988
Brigadier General July 15, 1994
Major General Jan. 1, 1997
Lieutenant General Jan. 1, 2001
(Current as of May 2005)