BRIGADIER GENERAL MARK H. OWEN
Brig. Gen. Mark H. Owen is the Director of Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He is directly responsible to the USSTRATCOM Commander for the development and implementation of national security policy and guidance; military strategy and guidance; space and weapons employment concepts and policy; and joint doctrine as they apply to the command and the execution of its missions. He is also responsible for the development of the nation's strategic war plan, strategic support plans for theater combatant commanders and contingency planning for the global strike mission.
General Owen earned his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1979. He has served in a variety of space and missile assignments involving missile combat crew operations, satellite command and control, space lift and test range operations, and major space systems acquisitions. The general's previous commands include a space operations squadron, operations group and two space wings.
EDUCATION
1979 Bachelor's degree in biology-premedical, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1981 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1984 Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1984 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1991 Master's degree in systems management, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1991 Program Management, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
1993 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Master's degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2003 National Security Management Fellow, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2006 U.S.-Russia Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1979 - November 1979, student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. November 1979 - August 1982, evaluator and deputy missile combat crew commander, 351st Strategic Missile Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
3. August 1982 - June 1984, student, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
4. June 1984 - February 1986, space electronics group leader, Phillips Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. February 1986 - February 1986, Chief, Target and Detector Satellite Branch, Air Force Space Technology Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. February 1988 - February 1989, Deputy, Spacecraft Microelectronics Division, Air Force Space Technology Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. February 1989 - June 1990, Program Manager, Advanced Systems Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Division, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
8. June 1990 - July 1991, executive to the Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. July 1991 - August 1992, Program Manager, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
10. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 1993 - February 1995, Chief, Force Enhancement Planning, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
12. February 1995 - August 1996, Commander, 3rd Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
13. August 1996 - June 1997, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. June 1997 - June 1998, Chief, Space Plans and Strategies, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. June 1998 - August 1999, policy and issues analyst, Secretary of the Air Force Staff Group, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 1999 - May 2000, Chief, Satellite Systems Division, Space and Nuclear Deterrence Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. May 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 30th Operations Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
18. May 2002 - August 2004, Commander, 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
19. August 2004 - June 2006, Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.
20. June 2006 - September 2007, Deputy Director of Strategic Security, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
21. October 2007 - present, Director of Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1979
First Lieutenant May 30, 1981
Captain May 30, 1983
Major June 1, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1995
Colonel March 1, 2000
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2006
(Current as of November 2007)
General Owen earned his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1979. He has served in a variety of space and missile assignments involving missile combat crew operations, satellite command and control, space lift and test range operations, and major space systems acquisitions. The general's previous commands include a space operations squadron, operations group and two space wings.
EDUCATION
1979 Bachelor's degree in biology-premedical, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1981 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1984 Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1984 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1991 Master's degree in systems management, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1991 Program Management, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
1993 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Master's degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2003 National Security Management Fellow, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2006 U.S.-Russia Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1979 - November 1979, student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. November 1979 - August 1982, evaluator and deputy missile combat crew commander, 351st Strategic Missile Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
3. August 1982 - June 1984, student, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
4. June 1984 - February 1986, space electronics group leader, Phillips Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. February 1986 - February 1986, Chief, Target and Detector Satellite Branch, Air Force Space Technology Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. February 1988 - February 1989, Deputy, Spacecraft Microelectronics Division, Air Force Space Technology Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. February 1989 - June 1990, Program Manager, Advanced Systems Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Division, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
8. June 1990 - July 1991, executive to the Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. July 1991 - August 1992, Program Manager, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Projects, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
10. August 1992 - June 1993, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 1993 - February 1995, Chief, Force Enhancement Planning, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
12. February 1995 - August 1996, Commander, 3rd Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
13. August 1996 - June 1997, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. June 1997 - June 1998, Chief, Space Plans and Strategies, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. June 1998 - August 1999, policy and issues analyst, Secretary of the Air Force Staff Group, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 1999 - May 2000, Chief, Satellite Systems Division, Space and Nuclear Deterrence Directorate, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. May 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 30th Operations Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
18. May 2002 - August 2004, Commander, 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
19. August 2004 - June 2006, Commander, 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.
20. June 2006 - September 2007, Deputy Director of Strategic Security, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
21. October 2007 - present, Director of Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1979
First Lieutenant May 30, 1981
Captain May 30, 1983
Major June 1, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1995
Colonel March 1, 2000
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2006
(Current as of November 2007)