BRIGADIER GENERAL O.K. LEWIS JR.
Brigadier General O.K. Lewis Jr. is deputy chief of staff for technical training, Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He is responsible for command policy and management of training for more than 350 specialties, taught through more than 6,200 courses each year. This includes technical training, as well as all enlisted basic military training in the Air Force.
General Lewis was born in 1936, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Little Rock (Ark.) Central High School in 1954 and attended Marion (Ala.) Institute Preparatory School. He received a bachelor of science degree in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in 1959 and a master's degree in computer science from Texas A&M University in 1969. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1965, Armed Forces Staff College in 1971 and Air War College in 1977.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force in August 1959 and entered primary pilot training at Moore Air Force Base, Texas. The general completed basic pilot training at Greenville Air Force Base, Miss., and in August 1960 was awarded his pilot wings. After he completed B-47 flight training at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., he was assigned as a B-47 co-pilot with the 1st Bombardment Squadron, 9th Bombardment Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
The general served as a B-52G co-pilot and aircraft commander with the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville (now Eaker) Air Force Base, Ark., from June 1963 to August 1967. After graduating from Texas A&M, he served in Southeast Asia in the Directorate of Automated Services, Headquarters 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, from July 1969 to July 1970.
After graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College in January 1971, General Lewis was assigned to the Directorate for Operational Command and Control, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In June 1975 he was assigned to the 416th Bombardment Wing, Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y., as a B-52 pilot. He later was appointed as operations officer for the 668th Bombardment Squadron and served as squadron commander from January 1978 to January 1979.
General Lewis was next transferred to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where he served as deputy chief, Operations Division, in the Command Center. From October 1979 until September 1980 he was chief of the Airborne Division, Directorate of Command and Control. He managed Strategic Air Command support of the National Emergency Airborne Command Post.
He returned to the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, as deputy commander for operations and later served as vice commander. He became commander of the 42nd Bombardment Wing, Loring Air Force Base, Maine, in August 1982, and then assumed command of the 7th Bombardment Wing, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in October 1983.
In June 1985 General Lewis was assigned as commander of Strategic Air Command's 40th Air Division, headquartered at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. In November 1987 he became assistant deputy chief of staff technical training for resources and policy, Air Training Command headquarters. He assumed his present duties in October 1989.
The general is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, including 1,000 hours in B-47s and more than 2,500 hours in B-52s. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with five oak leaf clusters, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
He was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 1, 1986, with same date of rank.
(Current as of November 1989)
General Lewis was born in 1936, in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Little Rock (Ark.) Central High School in 1954 and attended Marion (Ala.) Institute Preparatory School. He received a bachelor of science degree in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in 1959 and a master's degree in computer science from Texas A&M University in 1969. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1965, Armed Forces Staff College in 1971 and Air War College in 1977.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force in August 1959 and entered primary pilot training at Moore Air Force Base, Texas. The general completed basic pilot training at Greenville Air Force Base, Miss., and in August 1960 was awarded his pilot wings. After he completed B-47 flight training at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., he was assigned as a B-47 co-pilot with the 1st Bombardment Squadron, 9th Bombardment Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
The general served as a B-52G co-pilot and aircraft commander with the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville (now Eaker) Air Force Base, Ark., from June 1963 to August 1967. After graduating from Texas A&M, he served in Southeast Asia in the Directorate of Automated Services, Headquarters 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, from July 1969 to July 1970.
After graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College in January 1971, General Lewis was assigned to the Directorate for Operational Command and Control, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In June 1975 he was assigned to the 416th Bombardment Wing, Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y., as a B-52 pilot. He later was appointed as operations officer for the 668th Bombardment Squadron and served as squadron commander from January 1978 to January 1979.
General Lewis was next transferred to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where he served as deputy chief, Operations Division, in the Command Center. From October 1979 until September 1980 he was chief of the Airborne Division, Directorate of Command and Control. He managed Strategic Air Command support of the National Emergency Airborne Command Post.
He returned to the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, as deputy commander for operations and later served as vice commander. He became commander of the 42nd Bombardment Wing, Loring Air Force Base, Maine, in August 1982, and then assumed command of the 7th Bombardment Wing, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in October 1983.
In June 1985 General Lewis was assigned as commander of Strategic Air Command's 40th Air Division, headquartered at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. In November 1987 he became assistant deputy chief of staff technical training for resources and policy, Air Training Command headquarters. He assumed his present duties in October 1989.
The general is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, including 1,000 hours in B-47s and more than 2,500 hours in B-52s. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with five oak leaf clusters, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
He was promoted to brigadier general Oct. 1, 1986, with same date of rank.
(Current as of November 1989)