MAJOR GENERAL LAWRENCE L. WELLS
Maj. Gen. Lawrence L. Wells is Commander, 9th Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. The 9th Air Force comprises eight active-duty wings and three direct reporting units in the Southeastern United States with more than 400 aircraft and 29,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. The 9th Air Force is also responsible for the operational readiness of 16 Air Reserve Component wings.
General Wells graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978 and completed undergraduate pilot training the following year. He served as an F-16 pilot, instructor pilot, weapons chief and operations officer. The general held staff positions at the major command, numbered Air Force, Air Staff and Joint Staff levels. His commands include a fighter squadron, operations group, reconnaissance wing, and an air expeditionary wing in Southwest Asia.
Prior to his current position, General Wells was the Deputy Chief of Staff for United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea. He also served as the U.S. member of the UNC Military Armistice Commission, which leads general officer talks between the UNC and North Korean Army and interacts with UNC liaison groups from 19 nations.
The general is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flying hours.
EDUCATION
1978 Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1985 USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1992 Master of Science degree in political science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala.
1992 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1998 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2011 Joint Force Air Component Commander, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1978 - November 1979, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. January 1980 - March 1980, Student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. March 1980 - September 1980, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Hill AFB, Utah
4. September 1980 - October 1982, F-16A/B Pilot, 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. October 1982 - January 1984, F-16 A/B Instructor Pilot and Wing Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 19th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
6. January 1984 - May 1984, Student, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. May 1984 - January 1985, Chief of Weapons, 19th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
8. January 1985 - January 1986, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
9. January 1986 - January 1988, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan
10. February 1988 - April 1989, Chief of Weapons and Flight Commander, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
11. April 1989 - August 1991, Chief, Weapons and Tactics Division, 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
12. August 1991 - July 1992, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. August 1992 - October 1993, Power Projection Team Programmer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1993 - August 1994, Defense Resource Manager, Program and Budget Analysis Division (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. August 1994 - August 1995, Executive Officer to the Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 1995 - July 1996, Chief of Safety, 20th Fighter Wing, later, Operations Officer, 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
17. July 1996 - July 1997, Commander, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
18. August 1997 - June 1998, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
19. June 1998 - June 1999, Director, Air Force Executive Review Secretariat, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. June 1999 - July 2001, Commander, 51st Operations Group, Osan AB, South Korea
21. July 2001 - April 2004, Chief, F/A-22 System Management Organization, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
22. April 2004 - August 2004, Deputy Director for Requirements, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
23. August 2004 - May 2006, Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif.
24. May 2006 - June 2007, Deputy Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
25. June 2007 - June 2008, Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
26. June 2008 - July 2009, Director, Warfighter Systems Integration and Deployment, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
27. July 2009 - October 2011, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea
28. October 2011 - present, Commander, 9th Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw AFB, S.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1993 - August 1994, Defense Resource Manager, Program and Budget Analysis Division (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major
2. August 1994 - August 1995, executive officer to the Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2009 - October 2011, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,800; 300 Combat Hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16 A/B/C/D, KC-10, U-2 and Global Hawk
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1989 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1978
First Lieutenant May 31, 1980
Captain May 31, 1982
Major Dec. 1, 1988
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1994
Colonel May 1, 1999
Brigadier General March 1, 2006
Major General July 9, 2009
(Current as of May 2013)
General Wells graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978 and completed undergraduate pilot training the following year. He served as an F-16 pilot, instructor pilot, weapons chief and operations officer. The general held staff positions at the major command, numbered Air Force, Air Staff and Joint Staff levels. His commands include a fighter squadron, operations group, reconnaissance wing, and an air expeditionary wing in Southwest Asia.
Prior to his current position, General Wells was the Deputy Chief of Staff for United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea. He also served as the U.S. member of the UNC Military Armistice Commission, which leads general officer talks between the UNC and North Korean Army and interacts with UNC liaison groups from 19 nations.
The general is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flying hours.
EDUCATION
1978 Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1985 USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1992 Master of Science degree in political science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala.
1992 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1998 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2011 Joint Force Air Component Commander, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1978 - November 1979, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. January 1980 - March 1980, Student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. March 1980 - September 1980, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Hill AFB, Utah
4. September 1980 - October 1982, F-16A/B Pilot, 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. October 1982 - January 1984, F-16 A/B Instructor Pilot and Wing Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 19th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
6. January 1984 - May 1984, Student, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. May 1984 - January 1985, Chief of Weapons, 19th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
8. January 1985 - January 1986, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
9. January 1986 - January 1988, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 5th Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan
10. February 1988 - April 1989, Chief of Weapons and Flight Commander, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
11. April 1989 - August 1991, Chief, Weapons and Tactics Division, 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
12. August 1991 - July 1992, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. August 1992 - October 1993, Power Projection Team Programmer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1993 - August 1994, Defense Resource Manager, Program and Budget Analysis Division (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. August 1994 - August 1995, Executive Officer to the Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 1995 - July 1996, Chief of Safety, 20th Fighter Wing, later, Operations Officer, 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
17. July 1996 - July 1997, Commander, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
18. August 1997 - June 1998, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
19. June 1998 - June 1999, Director, Air Force Executive Review Secretariat, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. June 1999 - July 2001, Commander, 51st Operations Group, Osan AB, South Korea
21. July 2001 - April 2004, Chief, F/A-22 System Management Organization, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
22. April 2004 - August 2004, Deputy Director for Requirements, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
23. August 2004 - May 2006, Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif.
24. May 2006 - June 2007, Deputy Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters ACC, Langley AFB, Va.
25. June 2007 - June 2008, Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
26. June 2008 - July 2009, Director, Warfighter Systems Integration and Deployment, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
27. July 2009 - October 2011, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea
28. October 2011 - present, Commander, 9th Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw AFB, S.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1993 - August 1994, Defense Resource Manager, Program and Budget Analysis Division (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major
2. August 1994 - August 1995, executive officer to the Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2009 - October 2011, Deputy Chief of Staff, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,800; 300 Combat Hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16 A/B/C/D, KC-10, U-2 and Global Hawk
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1989 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1978
First Lieutenant May 31, 1980
Captain May 31, 1982
Major Dec. 1, 1988
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1994
Colonel May 1, 1999
Brigadier General March 1, 2006
Major General July 9, 2009
(Current as of May 2013)