Anthony J. Cotton

Last updated

Anthony Cotton
Gen Anthony J. Cotton (2).jpg
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1986–present
Rank General
Commands held
Awards
Alma mater
Anthony J. Cotton's voice
Cotton's opening statement at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Future Years Defense Program
Recorded 9 March 2023

Anthony James Cotton [1] is a United States Air Force four-star general who serves as the 12th commander of the United States Strategic Command since 9 December 2022. He most recently served as the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command from 27 August 2021 to 7 December 2022, having served as the deputy commander from 2019 to 2021. [2] Prior to that, he was the president of the Air University. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Cotton is from Dudley, North Carolina, where he graduated from Southern Wayne High School in 1981. He is the son of James H. and Amy K. Cotton; his father was a chief master sergeant in the Air Force. [7] Anthony Cotton was commissioned through ROTC at North Carolina State University in 1986, where he also earned a bachelor's degree in political science. [7] Prior to his AFGSC service, Cotton commanded the 20th Air Force, served as deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and was senior military assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. [8]

In June 2022, Cotton was nominated for reappointment as general and assignment as commander of the United States Strategic Command. [9] [10] [11] He appeared for a hearing before the Senate Committee on Armed Services on 15 September 2022 [12] and was confirmed by voice vote of the full Senate on 29 September 2022. [10] He assumed command on 9 December 2022. [13] [14]

Awards and decorations

Gen Cotton (right) relieves ADM Charles A. Richard (second from left) as the commander of United States Strategic Command on 9 December 2022. 2022 U.S. Strategic Command Change of Command 221209-D-PM193-1583 (52553931183).jpg
Gen Cotton (right) relieves ADM Charles A. Richard (second from left) as the commander of United States Strategic Command on 9 December 2022.
USAF Command Space Badge.png Command Space Operations Badge
Afg 021203 114.jpg Command Missile Operations Badge
Office of the Secretary of Defense identification badge.svg Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Headquarters US Air Force Badge.png Headquarters Air Force Badge
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service ribbon.svg Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service ribbon.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Force Commendation ribbon.svg
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Force Achievement ribbon.svg
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg Silver oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Organizational Excellence ribbon.svg Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
USA NRO Distinguished Service ribbon.png National Reconnaissance Office Distinguished Service Medal (gold medal)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Combat Readiness Medal ribbon.svg
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Air and Space Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal ribbon.svg Nuclear Deterrence Operations 'N' Device.png Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with "N" device
Longevity Service Award USAF.svg Silver oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with service star
Air Force Training Ribbon.svg Air Force Training Ribbon

Effective dates of promotions

Cotton is pinned with his four-star rank insignia by his family at his promotion ceremony, August 27, 2021. Gen. Anthony Cotton promotion ceremony 210827-F-NI018-1140.jpg
Cotton is pinned with his four-star rank insignia by his family at his promotion ceremony, August 27, 2021.
RankDate [2]
US Air Force O1 shoulderboard rotated.svg Second lieutenant 7 June 1986
US Air Force O2 shoulderboard rotated.svg First lieutenant 7 June 1988
US Air Force O3 shoulderboard rotated.svg Captain 7 June 1990
US Air Force O4 shoulderboard rotated.svg Major 1 March 1998
US Air Force O5 shoulderboard rotated.svg Lieutenant colonel 1 March 2002
US Air Force O6 shoulderboard rotated.svg Colonel 1 December 2006
US Air Force O7 shoulderboard rotated.svg Brigadier general 10 November 2011
US Air Force O8 shoulderboard rotated.svg Major general 6 July 2015
US Air Force O9 shoulderboard rotated.svg Lieutenant general 15 February 2018
US Air Force O10 shoulderboard rotated.svg General 27 August 2021

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Space Command</span> Unified command of the U.S. Department of Defense

The United States Space Command is a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations 100 kilometers and greater above mean sea level. U.S. Space Command is responsible for the operational employment of space forces that are provided by the uniformed services of the Department of Defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Strategic Command</span> Unified combatant command based in Nebraska

The United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for strategic nuclear deterrence, global strike, and operating the Defense Department's Global Information Grid. It also provides a host of capabilities to support the other combatant commands, including integrated missile defense; and global command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR). This command exists to give "national leadership a unified resource for greater understanding of specific threats around the world and the means to respond to those threats rapidly".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Hyten</span> 11th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (born 1959)

John Earl Hyten is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 11th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2021. A career space operations and acquisitions officer, he commanded the United States Strategic Command from 2016 to 2019 and the Air Force Space Command from 2014 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Ray</span> US Air Force general

Timothy Michael Ray is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command from August 21, 2018, to August 27, 2021. He concurrently served as the commander of Air Forces Strategic – Air, United States Strategic Command. His two previous assignments were as the Deputy Commander, United States European Command, and as the Commander, Third Air Force. He previously served as the director of global power programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David H. Berger</span> United States Marine Corps general

David Hilberry Berger is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 38th commandant of the Marine Corps from 2019 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Schneider</span> American Air Force general

Kevin Bruce Schneider is a United States Air Force general who has served as the commander of the Pacific Air Forces since 2024. He previously served as director of staff of the United States Air Force from 2021 to 2024. He also served as the commander of the United States Forces Japan and the Fifth Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacqueline Van Ovost</span> US Air Force general (born 1965)

Jacqueline Desiree Van Ovost is a United States Air Force general who has served as the 14th commander of the United States Transportation Command since October 15, 2021. She was nominated to that post by President Biden on March 5, 2021. Van Ovost had previously served as the commander of the Air Mobility Command from August 2020 to October 2021. In early 2021, she was the only active-duty female four-star general officer in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark E. Weatherington</span> United States Air Force general

Mark Ernest Weatherington is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who served as the deputy commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command from August 2021 to August 2023. He most recently served as commander of both the Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center. He previously served as the deputy commander of Air Education and Training Command from April 2018 to May 2020. Weatherington was commissioned after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Shaw</span> U.S. Space Force general

John Edwin Shaw is a retired United States Space Force lieutenant general who last served as the deputy commander of the United States Space Command from 2020 to 2023. He previously served as commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command and deputy commander of Space Operations Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Whiting</span> U.S. Space Force general officer

Stephen Newman Whiting is a United States Space Force general who serves as the commander of the United States Space Command. He previously served as the first commander of Space Operations Command from 2020 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas A. Bussiere</span> U.S. Air Force general

Thomas A. Bussiere is a United States Air Force general who has served as commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command since December 7, 2022. He most recently served as the deputy commander of the United States Strategic Command from 2020 to 2022. He attended St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont (1981), and was commissioned in 1985 through ROTC at Norwich University. Bussiere previously served, as Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Northern Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B. Chance Saltzman</span> 2nd U.S. Space Force chief of space operations

Bradley Chance Saltzman is a United States Space Force general who is the second and current chief of space operations. He served as the deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear from 2020 to 2022. He is the first lieutenant general and the first general officer promoted into the Space Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony D. Bauernfeind</span> U.S. Special Operations Command vice commander

Tony D. Bauernfeind is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command since December 9, 2022. He most recently served as vice commander of the United States Special Operations Command from 2020 to 2022; as vice commander, Bauernfeind was responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing actions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the services and other government agencies in the national capital region on behalf of the commander of United States Special Operations Command. He previously served as Special Operations Command's chief of staff and as commander of Special Operations Command Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the United States Space Force</span> Structure of the U.S. Space Force

The United States Space Force is organized by different units: the Space Staff, the field commands, and the space deltas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Guillot</span> United States Air Force general

Gregory Michael Guillot is a United States Air Force general who has served as the commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command since February 5, 2024. He most recently served as the deputy commander of United States Central Command from 2022 to 2024. He served as commander of the Ninth Air Force from 2020 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Sejba</span> U.S. Space Force general officer

Timothy Alan Sejba is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the commander of Space Training and Readiness Command. He previously served as the program executive officer for both the Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power (SDACP); and Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications (BMC3) directorates. He has also served as acting director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office from 2018 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hecker</span> U.S. Air Force general

James B. Hecker is a United States Air Force general who serves as the commander of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and Allied Air Command since June 27, 2022. Before that, he served as the commander and president of the Air University from November 2019 to June 2022. and also previously served as the vice director for operations of the Joint Staff.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government .

  1. ↑ "97th Annual Commencement" (PDF). North Carolina State University. 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 "General Anthony J. Cotton". United States Air Force. August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2022.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  3. ↑ Harper, Brad (12 December 2019). "Air University leader has been nominated for Air Global Strike Command position in Louisiana". Montgomery Advertiser . Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  4. ↑ Ramsouer, Tammie (15 February 2018). "Lt. Gen. Cotton assumes command of Air University". Maxwell Air Force Base . Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  5. ↑ "PN741 – Lt. Gen. Anthony J. Cotton – Air Force, 117th Congress (2021–2022)". U.S. Congress. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Cohen, Rachel (24 June 2021). "Cotton nominated to run Air Force's nuclear enterprise at pivotal time". Military Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. 1 2 Calkins, Christopher (30 August 2011). "Cotton: Stay sharp; Our mission demands it". 45th Space Wing Public Affairs, Air Force Space Command. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Leishman, Angeline (28 June 2021). "Lt. Gen. Anthony Cotton Nominated to Lead AF Global Strike Command". executivegov.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Nominee Says Strategic Command Must Deal With Changing World". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  10. 1 2 "PN2229 — Gen. Anthony J. Cotton — Air Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". U.S. Congress. 29 September 2022. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Nomination - Cotton". U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  13. ↑ United States Strategic Command [@US_STRATCOM] (2 December 2022). "One week from today, @USNavy Admiral Charles A. Richard will relinquish command of #USSTRATCOM to @usairforce General Anthony J. Cotton" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 December 2022– via Twitter.
  14. ↑ Garamone, Jim (9 December 2022). "Stratcom Gets New Leader". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the 341st Missile Wing
2010–2011		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the 45th Space Wing
2011–2013		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office
2013–2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Twentieth Air Force
2015–2018		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander and President of the Air University
2018–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command
2019–2021		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command
2021–2022		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the United States Strategic Command
2022–present		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Order of precedence of the United States
as Commander of U.S. Strategic Command		Succeeded byas Commander of U.S. Space Command
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.