MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT E. WHEELER
Major General Robert E. Wheeler is currently serving on the staff of the Secretary of Defense as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and Information Infrastructure Capabilities (DCIO for C4IIC).
General Wheeler was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. A command pilot with more than 5,000 hours in multiple aircrafts. His staff assignments include air campaign analyst for the Air Force Studies and Analysis Agency, member of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Operations Group (CX), Headquarters U.S. Air Force and division chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding European security issues. He has also been the senior military adviser to the U.S. Mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The general was previously the Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. In this capacity, he is the principal adviser to the commander on issues pertaining to strategic deterrence and nuclear operations. He served as the command's principal flag officer responsible for management and oversight of the nuclear enterprise. He has previously commanded the 325th Bomb Squadron and 509th Operations Group at Whiteman AFB, Mo. He commanded the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., where he was responsible for providing B-52 aircraft, aircrews and associated support personnel and resources to conduct global bomber operational taskings. He also commanded the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo., where he was responsible for the combat readiness of the Air Force's only B-2 wing and provided logistics support for the Air Force Reserve 442nd Fighter Wing Missouri Air National Guard 131st Bomb Wing; Missouri Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation Unit; and the Navy Reserve Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13.
EDUCATION
1983 Bachelor of Science, Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Master of Science, Aerospace Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
1995 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1998 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1999 Air War College, by correspondence
2003 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
2008 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1984 - December 1984, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. July 1985 - January 1988, B-52H Copilot and Aircraft Commander, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
3. January 1988 - June 1988, Student, B-52H Combat Flight Instructor Course, Castle AFB, Calif.
4. June 1988 - May 1994, B-52H Instructor pilot, check pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and Assistant Operations Officer, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
5. May 1994 - June 1995, Air Campaign Analyst, Air Force Studies and Analysis Agency, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
6. June 1995 - June 1996, Executive Officer for the Command and Control Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. June 1996 - June 1997, Member, Chief of Staff Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. June 1997 - August 1998, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
9. August 1998 - February 2003, B-2 Instructor Pilot; Wing Chief of Safety; B-2 FTU operations officer; and Commander, 325th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
10. February 2003 - July 2003, Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
11. July 2003 - June 2005, Division Chief, Joint Chief of Staff for European Security Issues, Vienna, Austria
12. June 2005 - July 2007, Commander, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
13. July 2007 - March 2009, Commander, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
14. March 2009 - September 2010, Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
15. September 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Director (J3N), Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. July 2012 - present, Deputy DoDCIO for C4&IIC in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2003 - June 2005, Division Chief, Joint Chief of Staff for European Security Issues, and senior military adviser to the U.S. Mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Vienna, Austria, as a colonel
September 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Director, Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, as a major general
July 2012 - Present, Deputy DoDCIO for C4&IIC in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, B-52 and B-2
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Ira C. Eaker Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 20, 1984
First Lieutenant Oct. 30, 1985
Captain Oct. 30, 1987
Major Nov. 1, 1995
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
Colonel July 1, 2003
Brigadier General June 19, 2009
Major General May 2, 2012
(Current as of March 2016)
General Wheeler was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. A command pilot with more than 5,000 hours in multiple aircrafts. His staff assignments include air campaign analyst for the Air Force Studies and Analysis Agency, member of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Operations Group (CX), Headquarters U.S. Air Force and division chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding European security issues. He has also been the senior military adviser to the U.S. Mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The general was previously the Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. In this capacity, he is the principal adviser to the commander on issues pertaining to strategic deterrence and nuclear operations. He served as the command's principal flag officer responsible for management and oversight of the nuclear enterprise. He has previously commanded the 325th Bomb Squadron and 509th Operations Group at Whiteman AFB, Mo. He commanded the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., where he was responsible for providing B-52 aircraft, aircrews and associated support personnel and resources to conduct global bomber operational taskings. He also commanded the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo., where he was responsible for the combat readiness of the Air Force's only B-2 wing and provided logistics support for the Air Force Reserve 442nd Fighter Wing Missouri Air National Guard 131st Bomb Wing; Missouri Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation Unit; and the Navy Reserve Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13.
EDUCATION
1983 Bachelor of Science, Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Master of Science, Aerospace Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
1995 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1998 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1999 Air War College, by correspondence
2003 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
2008 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1984 - December 1984, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. July 1985 - January 1988, B-52H Copilot and Aircraft Commander, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
3. January 1988 - June 1988, Student, B-52H Combat Flight Instructor Course, Castle AFB, Calif.
4. June 1988 - May 1994, B-52H Instructor pilot, check pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and Assistant Operations Officer, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
5. May 1994 - June 1995, Air Campaign Analyst, Air Force Studies and Analysis Agency, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
6. June 1995 - June 1996, Executive Officer for the Command and Control Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. June 1996 - June 1997, Member, Chief of Staff Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. June 1997 - August 1998, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
9. August 1998 - February 2003, B-2 Instructor Pilot; Wing Chief of Safety; B-2 FTU operations officer; and Commander, 325th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
10. February 2003 - July 2003, Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
11. July 2003 - June 2005, Division Chief, Joint Chief of Staff for European Security Issues, Vienna, Austria
12. June 2005 - July 2007, Commander, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
13. July 2007 - March 2009, Commander, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
14. March 2009 - September 2010, Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
15. September 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Director (J3N), Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. July 2012 - present, Deputy DoDCIO for C4&IIC in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2003 - June 2005, Division Chief, Joint Chief of Staff for European Security Issues, and senior military adviser to the U.S. Mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Vienna, Austria, as a colonel
September 2010 - July 2012, Deputy Director, Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, as a major general
July 2012 - Present, Deputy DoDCIO for C4&IIC in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, B-52 and B-2
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Ira C. Eaker Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 20, 1984
First Lieutenant Oct. 30, 1985
Captain Oct. 30, 1987
Major Nov. 1, 1995
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
Colonel July 1, 2003
Brigadier General June 19, 2009
Major General May 2, 2012
(Current as of March 2016)