John D. W. Corley

John D. W. Corley
John D. W. Corley
	General John D.W. Corley
Born	August 11, 1951 (age 73); San Marcos, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1973–2009
Rank	General
Commands	Air Combat Command; Vice Chief of Staff, USAF; 355th Wing; 33d Operations Group; 8th Fighter Squadron
Awards	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2); Defense Superior Service Medal ; Legion of Merit ; Bronze Star ; Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Last updated August 26, 2024

John Donald Wesley Corley (born August 11, 1951)^[1] is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force. He previously served as the commander of Air Combat Command from October 2007 to September 10, 2009, and as the 32nd Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from September 2005 to September 2007. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2009.

Corley was responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. ACC operates more than 1,200 aircraft, 27 wings, 17 bases and more than 200 operating locations worldwide with 105,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. When mobilized, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve contribute more than 900 aircraft and 56,000 people to Air Combat Command.

As the Combat Air Forces lead agent, ACC develops strategy, doctrine, concepts, tactics and procedures for air and space power employment. The command provides conventional, nuclear and information warfare forces to all unified commands to ensure air, space and information superiority for warfighters and national decision-makers. ACC can also be called upon to assist national agencies with intelligence, surveillance and crisis response capabilities.

Prior to his last assignment, General Corley was Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. As vice chief, he presided over the Air Staff and served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council.

The son of Mettie Dean and Donald Wesley Corley,^[2] a United States Army Air Corps colonel,^[3]^[4] Corley entered the Air Force after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1973. He earned his wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in 1974. His aviation career includes more than 3,000 flying hours with combat experience. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. His staff positions comprise a mix of operational and joint duties in Tactical Air Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the Joint Staff.

As Combined Air Operations Center director during Operation Enduring Freedom, Corley orchestrated more than 11,000 combat missions striking more than 4,700 targets, including 250 attacks against the Al Qaida and Taliban leadership. He directed the safe recovery of isolated personnel during the largest combat search and rescue mission in 50 years and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Education

1973 Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1978 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1984 Master's degree in business administration, University of the Philippines, Manila
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1986 College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport, Rhode Island
1986 Master's degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
1993 U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
1999 Russian and U.S. General Officer Executive Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2002 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Assignment

October 1973 – November 1974, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
December 1974 – December 1978, T-38 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 64th Flying Training Wing, Reese AFB, Texas
January 1979 – July 1982, F-15 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
August 1982 – July 1985, F-5 instructor pilot and flight commander, C Flight, 26th Aggressor Squadron, Clark Air Base, Philippines
August 1985 – August 1986, student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport, Rhode Island
September 1986 – May 1988, chief analyst, Advanced Tactical Fighter, Air Force Center for Studies and Analysis, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
June 1988 – March 1990, chief analyst, Commander's Action Group, Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
April 1990 – April 1991, operations officer, 7th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
May 1991 – July 1992, commander, 8th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
August 1992 – July 1993, student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
August 1993 – July 1995, deputy commander, later, Commander, 33rd Operations Group, Eglin AFB, Florida
August 1995 – June 1997, chief of Western Hemisphere Division, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
June 1997 – May 1999, commander, 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
June 1999 – September 2000, director of studies and analysis, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
September 2000 – March 2003, director of global power programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
March 2003 – August 2005, principal deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, and Military Director, U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
September 2005 – September 2007, Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
October 2007 – September 2009, commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va., and Air Component Commander for U.S. Joint Forces Command

Flight information

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,100
Aircraft flown: A/OA-10, F-5E/F, F-15A/B/C/D, T-38 and EC-130E/H

Awards and decorations

	Command Air Force Pilot Badge
	Basic Parachutist Badge
	Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge
	Headquarters Air Force Badge

	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit
	Bronze Star Medal
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
	Aerial Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Combat Readiness Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
	Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star
	Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service star
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service star
	Air Force Training Ribbon
	Inter-American Defense Board Medal with gold service star
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions
Insignia	Rank	Date
	General	November 1, 2005
	Lieutenant General	May 1, 2003
	Major general	April 1, 2002
	Brigadier general	August 1, 1999
	Colonel	February 1, 1994
	Lieutenant colonel	September 1, 1989
	Major	May 24, 1986
	Captain	June 6, 1977
	First lieutenant	June 6, 1975
	Second lieutenant	June 6, 1973

Personal

Corley is the son of Donald Wesley Corley and Mettie Virginia Dean.^[1] He married Margaret Mary LaPaglia on July 21, 1976.^[5]

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References

1 2 "1951 births". Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997. Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
↑ "Obituaries for Tuesday, August 28".
↑ "Defense.gov News Article: Air Force General: Academy Served as 'Leadership Laboratory'". Archive.defense.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
↑ "Mettie Virginia Dean Corley – Obituaries – Alice Echo News-Journal". Alice, TX. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
↑ Marriage Records. Lubbock, Texas: Lubbock County Clerk's Office.

This article incorporates public domain material from Official Biography. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on February 12, 2004.

Military offices
Preceded by Gen. T. Michael Moseley	Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force 2005 - 2007	Succeeded by Gen. Duncan J. McNabb
Preceded by Gen. Ronald Keys	Commander, Air Combat Command 2007 - 2009	Succeeded by Gen. William M. Fraser III

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[birth-1] 1 2 "1951 births". Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997. Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.

[2] "Obituaries for Tuesday, August 28".

[3] "Defense.gov News Article: Air Force General: Academy Served as 'Leadership Laboratory'". Archive.defense.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2019.

[4] "Mettie Virginia Dean Corley – Obituaries – Alice Echo News-Journal". Alice, TX. Retrieved December 16, 2019.

[5] Marriage Records. Lubbock, Texas: Lubbock County Clerk's Office.

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John D. W. Corley
General John D.W. Corley
Born	(1951-08-11) August 11, 1951 (age 73) San Marcos, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1973–2009
Rank	General
Commands	Air Combat Command Vice Chief of Staff, USAF 355th Wing 33d Operations Group 8th Fighter Squadron
Awards	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Defense Meritorious Service Medal