LIEUTENANT GENERAL MARK C. NOWLAND
Lt. Gen. Mark C. Nowland is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff for formulating policy supporting air, space, cyber,and irregular warfare, counter proliferation, homeland security and weather operations. As the Air Force operations deputy to the Joint Chief of Staff, the general determines operational requirements, capabilities and training necessary to support national security objectives and military strategy.
General Nowland is a 1985 graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He previously commanded at the squadron, wing and numbered Air Force levels. He also served on the Joint Staff, U.S. Southern Command and two Air Force major command staffs. The general has flown combat operations in support of operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom. He is also a graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies and was a National Security Fellow at the Olin Institute at Harvard University. Prior to his current assignment, General Nowland was the Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
General Nowland is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours, primarily in the A-10, F-15A/C/D, T-37B, T-38A/C, A/T-38B and T-6.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Master of Aviation Sciences degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2004 John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2008 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2009 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2011 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Latin America Forces, Washington, D.C.
2013 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Miami
2014 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 National Defense University Pinnacle Course, Suffolk, Va.
2016 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1985 - July 1986, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. July 1986 - July 1988, T-37B Instructor Pilot, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. July 1988 - December 1989, T-37 Instructor Pilot, Randolph AFB, Texas
4. December 1989 - August 1990, student, AT-38B lead-in fighter training, 435th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. August 1990 - May 1991, student, F-15C Replacement Training Unit, 1st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. May 1991 - July 1995, F-15 Instructor Pilot, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
7. July 1995 - July 1997, F-15 Fighter Flight Commander, 85th Operations Support Squadron, Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland
8. July 1997 - July 1999, student, Air Command and Staff and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 1999 - February 2000, Chief, Doctrine Branch, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. February 2000 - May 2001, Deputy, Commander's Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. June 2001 - June 2002, Assistant Operations Officer, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
12. June 2002 - May 2003, Operations Officer, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
13. May 2003 - May 2004, Commander, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
14. June 2004 - May 2005, Olin Fellow, Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
15. June 2005 - May 2006, Chief, Program Support Division (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. May 2006 - June 2007, Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2007- July 2008, Vice Commander, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England
18. July 2008 - May 2010, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
19. May 2010 - June 2012, Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments Directorate, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
20. July 2012 - June 2013, Director for Strategy, Policy and Plans (J5), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami
21. June 2013 - December 2014, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami
22. December 2014 - October 2016, Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
23. October 2016 - present, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2005 - May 2006, Chief, Program Support Division (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. May 2006 - June 2007, Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Joint Staff, the Pentagon,Arlington, Va., as a colonel
3. July 2012 - June 2013, Director for Strategy, Policy and Plans (J5), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, as a brigadier general
4. June 2013 - Dec 2014, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, as a brigadier general and major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,600 hours
Aircraft flown: A-10, F-15A/B/C/D, AT-38B, T-38A/C, T-6, T-37,and T-41
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star 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
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 SICOFAA Legion of Merit Medal In Grade of “Great Cross”
2016 Chilean Cross for Aeronautical Merit
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1985
First Lieutenant May 29, 1987
Captain May 29, 1989
Major May 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel July 1, 2005
Brigadier General Aug. 6, 2010
Major General Dec. 31, 2013
Lieutenant General Dec. 19, 2014
(Current as of July 2018)
General Nowland is a 1985 graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He previously commanded at the squadron, wing and numbered Air Force levels. He also served on the Joint Staff, U.S. Southern Command and two Air Force major command staffs. The general has flown combat operations in support of operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom. He is also a graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies and was a National Security Fellow at the Olin Institute at Harvard University. Prior to his current assignment, General Nowland was the Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
General Nowland is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours, primarily in the A-10, F-15A/C/D, T-37B, T-38A/C, A/T-38B and T-6.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Master of Aviation Sciences degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2003 Air War College, by correspondence
2004 John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2008 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2009 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2011 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Latin America Forces, Washington, D.C.
2013 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Miami
2014 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 National Defense University Pinnacle Course, Suffolk, Va.
2016 Leadership at the Peak, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1985 - July 1986, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. July 1986 - July 1988, T-37B Instructor Pilot, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. July 1988 - December 1989, T-37 Instructor Pilot, Randolph AFB, Texas
4. December 1989 - August 1990, student, AT-38B lead-in fighter training, 435th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. August 1990 - May 1991, student, F-15C Replacement Training Unit, 1st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. May 1991 - July 1995, F-15 Instructor Pilot, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
7. July 1995 - July 1997, F-15 Fighter Flight Commander, 85th Operations Support Squadron, Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland
8. July 1997 - July 1999, student, Air Command and Staff and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 1999 - February 2000, Chief, Doctrine Branch, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. February 2000 - May 2001, Deputy, Commander's Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. June 2001 - June 2002, Assistant Operations Officer, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
12. June 2002 - May 2003, Operations Officer, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
13. May 2003 - May 2004, Commander, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
14. June 2004 - May 2005, Olin Fellow, Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
15. June 2005 - May 2006, Chief, Program Support Division (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. May 2006 - June 2007, Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2007- July 2008, Vice Commander, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England
18. July 2008 - May 2010, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
19. May 2010 - June 2012, Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments Directorate, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
20. July 2012 - June 2013, Director for Strategy, Policy and Plans (J5), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami
21. June 2013 - December 2014, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami
22. December 2014 - October 2016, Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
23. October 2016 - present, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2005 - May 2006, Chief, Program Support Division (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. May 2006 - June 2007, Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Joint Staff, the Pentagon,Arlington, Va., as a colonel
3. July 2012 - June 2013, Director for Strategy, Policy and Plans (J5), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, as a brigadier general
4. June 2013 - Dec 2014, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, as a brigadier general and major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,600 hours
Aircraft flown: A-10, F-15A/B/C/D, AT-38B, T-38A/C, T-6, T-37,and T-41
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star 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
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 SICOFAA Legion of Merit Medal In Grade of “Great Cross”
2016 Chilean Cross for Aeronautical Merit
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1985
First Lieutenant May 29, 1987
Captain May 29, 1989
Major May 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel July 1, 2005
Brigadier General Aug. 6, 2010
Major General Dec. 31, 2013
Lieutenant General Dec. 19, 2014
(Current as of July 2018)
