Lester Lyles

Last updated
Lester L. Lyles
Lester L Lyles.jpg
General Lester Lyles
Born (1946-04-20) April 20, 1946 (age 78)
Washington, D.C.
Service / branch United States Air Force
Years of service1968–2003
Rank US-O10 insignia.svg General
Commands Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Other workChairman of USAA, director, General Dynamics, DPL Inc., KBR Incorporated, Precision Castparts Corp.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, briefs reporters at the Pentagon, Jan. 20, 1999, on the latest developments in hardware, operational concepts, and political/diplomatic considerations relating to missile defense Defense.gov News Photo 990120-D-9880W-014.jpg
Air Force Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, briefs reporters at the Pentagon, Jan. 20, 1999, on the latest developments in hardware, operational concepts, and political/diplomatic considerations relating to missile defense

General Lester L. Lyles (born April 20, 1946) [1] is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. After retirement from the USAF in 2003, he became a company director for General Dynamics, DPL Inc., KBR, Inc., Precision Castparts Corp., MTC Technologies, Battelle Memorial Institute and USAA. [2] Lyles is also a trustee of Analytic Services and a managing partner of Four Seasons Ventures, LLC.

Contents

Biography

Lyles entered the USAF in 1968 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program. He served in various assignments, including Program Element Monitor of the Short-Range Attack Missile at USAF Headquarters in 1974, and as special assistant and aide-de-camp to the commander of Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) in 1978. In 1981 he was assigned to Wright-Patterson AFB as avionics division chief in the F-16 Systems Program Office. He has served as director of tactical aircraft systems at AFSC headquarters and as director of the Medium-Launch Vehicles Program and Space-Launch Systems offices. [3]

Lyles became AFSC headquarters' assistant deputy chief of staff for requirements in 1989, and deputy chief of staff for requirements in 1990. In 1992 he became vice commander of Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah. He served as Commander of the center from 1993 until 1994, then was assigned to command the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., until 1996. Lyles became the director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in 1996. In May 1999, he was assigned as vice chief of staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He assumed command of Air Force Materiel Command in April 2000. [4] Lyles retired from the air force on October 1, 2003.

Lyles was a member of The President's Commission on U.S. Space Policy. [2] He chairs the "Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program" committee of the United States National Academies. [5] In May 2009 he was named a member Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee, an independent review requested by the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The same year he was appointed to the Defense Science Board, a committee of civilian experts appointed to advise the U.S. Department of Defense on scientific and technical matters. [6] As of December 2013, he continues to serve as its vice chairman. In December 2009, General Lyles was appointed to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board by the White House.

On January 22, 2013, General Lyles was named chairman of the board of directors for USAA having been a USAA member since 1968 and a member of the board of directors since 2004. [7] General Lyles completed his final term as chairman in August 2019 after nearly seven years in the role and left USAA's board of directors after 15 years of dedicated service. [8]

On May 15, 2019, General Lyles assumed the role of non-executive chairman of the board for KBR, Inc. having been a member of the board of directors since November 2007. [9]

Education

Assignments

Awards and decorations

WepsDirector.jpg USAF - Occupational Badge - Space and Missile.svg Command Space and Missile Operations Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Defense Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Meritorious Service ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation ribbon.svg Air Force Commendation Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Organizational Excellence ribbon.svg
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal.gif NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Force Longevity Service ribbon.svg
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon.svg Air Force Training Ribbon

Other achievements

Effective dates of promotion

Source: [3] [4]

InsigniaRankDate
US-O10 insignia.svg General July 1, 1999
US-O9 insignia.svg Lieutenant general November 16, 1994
US-O8 insignia.svg Major general August 6, 1993
US-O7 insignia.svg Brigadier general May 1, 1991
US-O6 insignia.svg Colonel December 1, 1985
US-O5 insignia.svg Lieutenant colonel December 1, 1982
US-O4 insignia.svg Major November 1, 1979
US-O3 insignia.svg Captain February 2, 1971
US-OF1A.svg First lieutenant August 2, 1969
US-OF1B.svg Second lieutenant February 2, 1968

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Release".
  2. 1 2 "Lester L. Lyles Profile". Forbes.com. 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on November 1, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Biography of Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles". Air Force Historical Research Agency. September 30, 1997. pp. 10–11.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. 1 2 "Biography of General Lester L. Lyles". United States Air Force. June 9, 2024. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. ↑ "Committee: Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program". National Academies.
  6. ↑ "General Lester L. Lyles". Myriad Capital.
  7. ↑ "Decorated General Becomes Chairman of USAA Family". USAA. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  8. ↑ USAA. "USAA Welcomes Adm. Thomas Fargo as New Chairman". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  9. ↑ "Corporate Governance | KBR". www.kbr.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  10. ↑ "General Lester L. Lyles biography page". NASA . Archived from the original on 2023-04-11.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force

Military offices
Preceded by
Garry A. Schnelzer
 Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center
1994 - 1996		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
1996 - 1999		Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
1999 - 2000		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander, Air Force Materiel Command
2000 - 2003		Succeeded by
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