This is a list of lieutenant generals in the United States Air Force from 2010 to 2019. The rank of lieutenant general (or three-star general) is the second-highest rank normally achievable in the U.S. Air Force, and the first to have a specified number of appointments set by statute. It ranks above major general (two-star general) and below general (four-star general).
There have been 131 lieutenant generals in the U.S. Air Force from 2010 to 2019, 33 of whom were elevated to four-star general. All 131 achieved that rank while on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant generals entered the Air Force via several paths: 61 were commissioned via the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), 44 via Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) at a civilian university, 13 via Air Force Officer Training School (OTS), seven via AFROTC at a senior military college, five via direct commission (direct), and one via direct commission inter-service transfer from the Army National Guard (ARNG).
Entries in the following list of lieutenant generals are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was promoted to that rank while on active duty, or by an asterisk (*) if the officer did not serve in that rank while on active duty in the U.S. Air Force or was promoted to four-star rank while on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Each entry lists the general's name, date of rank, [lower-alpha 1] active-duty positions held while serving at three-star rank, [lower-alpha 2] number of years of active-duty service at three-star rank (Yrs), [lower-alpha 3] year commissioned and source of commission, [lower-alpha 4] number of years in commission when promoted to three-star rank (YC), [lower-alpha 5] and other biographical notes (years of birth and death are shown in parentheses in the Notes column). [lower-alpha 6] Officers transferred to the U.S. Space Force in the grade of lieutenant general are included while having previously held that rank in the Air Force previously are included, while Air Force officers first promoted to lieutenant general in the U.S. Space Force are excluded.
# | Name | Photo | Date of rank [lower-alpha 1] | Position [lower-alpha 2] | Yrs [lower-alpha 3] | Commission [lower-alpha 4] | YC [lower-alpha 5] | Notes [lower-alpha 6] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Richard C. Harding | 2 Feb 2010 |
| 4 | 1980 (direct) | 30 | (1947– ) [lower-alpha 7] | |
* | Larry O. Spencer | 3 Apr 2010 |
| 2 | 1980 (OTS) | 30 | (1954– ) [lower-alpha 8] Promoted to general, 27 Jul 2012. Served 9 years in the enlisted ranks before receiving his commission in 1980. | |
2 | Eric E. Fiel | 11 Jun 2010 |
| 4 | 1981 (OTS) | 29 | (1958– ) | |
3 | Frank J. Kisner | 26 Jul 2010 |
| 3 | 1980 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
4 | Stephen P. Mueller | 6 Sep 2010 |
| 4 | 1979 (USAFA) | 31 | (1960– ) | |
5 | Douglas H. Owens | 9 Sep 2010 |
| 3 | 1980 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
6 | Michael R. Moeller | 7 Oct 2010 |
| 4 | 1980 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
7 | Burton M. Field | 25 Oct 2010 |
| 4 | 1979 (USAFA) | 31 | (c. 1957– ) | |
8 | Kurt A. Cichowski | 16 Nov 2010 |
| 3 | 1977 (USAFA) | 33 | (1955– ) | |
9 | Stanley T. Kresge | 10 Dec 2010 |
| 4 | 1980 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
10 | Darrell D. Jones | 14 Dec 2010 |
| 3 | 1979 (AFROTC) | 31 | ||
11 | James M. Kowalski | 6 Jan 2011 |
| 4 | 1980 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1957– ) | |
12 | Susan J. Helms | 21 Jan 2011 |
| 3 | 1980 (USAFA) | 31 | (1958– ) [lower-alpha 9] [lower-alpha 10] | |
13 | Michael J. Basla | 2 Mar 2011 |
| 3 | 1979 (OTS) | 32 | (1952– ) | |
* | Ellen M. Pawlikowski | 3 Jun 2011 |
| 4 | 1978 (AFROTC) | 33 | (1956– ) Promoted to general, 8 Jun 2015. | |
14 | Bradley A. Heithold | 19 Jul 2011 |
| 7 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 30 | (1956– ) Served 7 years in the enlisted ranks before receiving his commission in 1981. | |
* | David L. Goldfein | 3 Aug 2011 |
| 4 | 1983 (USAFA) | 28 | (1959– ) [lower-alpha 8] [lower-alpha 11] Promoted to general, 17 Aug 2015. Brother of Air Force major general Stephen M. Goldfein. | |
15 | David S. Fadok | 12 Aug 2011 |
| 3 | 1982 (USAFA) | 29 | ||
16 | Stanley E. Clarke III | 31 Aug 2011 |
| 4 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 30 | ||
17 | Charles R. Davis | 1 Sep 2011 |
| 3 | 1979 (USAFA) | 32 | ||
18 | Brooks L. Bash | 9 Sep 2011 |
| 4 | 1981 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
19 | Mark F. Ramsay | 23 Sep 2011 |
| 4 | 1982 (OTS) | 29 | (c. 1958– ) | |
20 | C. D. Moore II | 3 Oct 2011 |
| 3 | 1980 (USAFA) | 31 | (1958– ) | |
21 | Stephen L. Hoog | 7 Nov 2011 |
| 4 | 1979 (USAFA) | 32 | ||
22 | John W. Hesterman III | 17 Nov 2011 |
| 5 | 1983 (USAFA) | 28 | (c. 1964– ) Relieved, 2016. [2] | |
* | Robin Rand | 1 Dec 2011 |
| 2 | 1979 (USAFA) | 32 | (1957– ) [lower-alpha 12] Promoted to general, 10 Oct 2013. | |
23 | Judith A. Fedder | 5 Dec 2011 |
| 4 | 1980 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1958– ) | |
24 | Jan-Marc Jouas | 6 Jan 2012 |
| 2 | 1979 (USAFA) | 33 | ||
25 | Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. | 11 Jan 2012 |
| 3 | 1977 (AFROTC) | 35 | (1955– ) President, Angelo State University, 2020–present. [3] | |
26 | Craig A. Franklin | 30 Mar 2012 |
| 2 | 1981 (USAFA) | 31 | (c. 1961– ) [lower-alpha 13] Resigned, 2014. [4] | |
* | John E. Hyten | 18 May 2012 |
| 2 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1959– ) [lower-alpha 14] [lower-alpha 15] Promoted to general, 15 Aug 2014. | |
27 | Bruce A. Litchfield | 10 Jul 2012 |
| 3 | 1981 (Norwich) | 31 | ||
28 | Thomas W. Travis | 13 Jul 2012 |
| 3 | 1976 (Virginia Tech) | 36 | (1953– ) Senior Vice President, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 2016–2021. | |
29 | Salvatore A. Angelella | 20 Jul 2012 |
| 3 | 1981 (USAFA) | 31 | (c. 1959– ) | |
30 | Andrew E. Busch | 20 Jul 2012 |
| 5 | 1979 (USAFA) | 33 | ||
31 | James F. Jackson | 30 Jul 2012 |
| 4 | 1978 (USAFA) | 34 | (1948– ) | |
32 | Noel T. Jones | 3 Aug 2012 |
| 3 | 1980 (USAFA) | 32 | ||
* | Darren W. McDew | 6 Aug 2012 |
| 2 | 1982 (VMI) | 30 | (1960– ) [lower-alpha 14] Promoted to general, 5 May 2014. | |
33 | Michael D. Dubie | 14 Aug 2012 |
| 3 | 1982 (ARNG) [lower-alpha 16] | 30 | (1960– ) | |
* | Joseph L. Lengyel | 18 Aug 2012 |
| 4 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1959– ) [lower-alpha 17] Promoted to general, 3 Aug 2016. | |
34 | Christopher C. Bogdan | 6 Dec 2012 |
| 5 | 1983 (USAFA) | 29 | ||
35 | Gregory A. Biscone | 12 Jan 2013 |
| 3 | 1981 (USAFA) | 32 | ||
36 | William H. Etter | 7 Mar 2013 |
| 3 | 1979 (AFROTC) | 34 | (c. 1957– ) | |
* | Lori J. Robinson | 20 May 2013 |
| 1 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 32 | (c. 1959– ) [lower-alpha 18] Promoted to general, 16 Oct 2014. | |
37 | Robert P. Otto | 24 Jun 2013 |
| 3 | 1982 (USAFA) | 31 | ||
* | James M. Holmes | 2 Aug 2013 |
| 4 | 1981 (OTS) | 32 | (1957– ) Promoted to general, 10 Mar 2017. | |
38 | Russell J. Handy | 9 Aug 2013 |
| 3 | 1982 (AFROTC) | 31 | ||
39 | Michelle D. Johnson | 12 Aug 2013 |
| 4 | 1981 (USAFA) | 32 | (c. 1959– ) First woman to command the U.S. Air Force Academy. [5] | |
40 | Mark O. Schissler | 30 Aug 2013 |
| 3 | 1981 (OTS) | 32 | ||
* | Tod D. Wolters | 24 Sep 2013 |
| 3 | 1982 (USAFA) | 31 | (1960– ) [lower-alpha 19] Promoted to general, 11 Aug 2016. Son of Air Force brigadier general Thomas E. Wolters. | |
41 | Douglas J. Robb | 1 Oct 2013 |
| 2 | 1979 (USAFA) | 34 | ||
* | Stephen W. Wilson | 23 Oct 2013 |
| 3 | 1981 (Texas A&M) | 32 | (c. 1959– ) [lower-alpha 8] Promoted to general, 22 Jul 2016. | |
42 | Samuel D. Cox | 3 Dec 2013 |
| 4 | 1984 (USAFA) | 29 | (1961– ) | |
* | John W. Raymond | 31 Jan 2014 |
| 2 | 1984 (AFROTC) | 30 | (1962– ) [lower-alpha 14] [lower-alpha 20] [lower-alpha 21] Promoted to general, 25 Oct 2016. Great-great-grandson of Army brigadier general Charles W. Raymond. | |
43 | Wendy M. Masiello | 8 May 2014 |
| 3 | 1980 (AFROTC) | 34 | (1958– ) Wife of Air Force major general Thomas J. Masiello. | |
44 | Christopher F. Burne | 23 May 2014 |
| 4 | 1983 (direct) | 31 | (c. 1962– ) [lower-alpha 7] | |
45 | Darryl L. Roberson | 30 May 2014 |
| 3 | 1983 (USAFA) | 31 | (1960– ) | |
46 | Thomas J. Trask | 16 Jun 2014 |
| 3 | 1984 (AFROTC) | 30 | (1961– ) | |
47 | Samuel A. Greaves | 19 Jun 2014 |
| 5 | 1982 (AFROTC) | 32 | ||
* | Carlton D. Everhart II | 20 Jun 2014 |
| 1 | 1983 (Virginia Tech) | 31 | (1961– ) Promoted to general, 11 Aug 2015. | |
48 | Anthony J. Rock | 17 Jun 2014 |
| 3 | 1982 (OTS) | 32 | (1959– ) | |
49 | James K. McLaughlin | 14 Aug 2014 |
| 3 | 1983 (USAFA) | 31 | ||
50 | Marshall B. Webb | 28 Aug 2014 |
| 8 | 1984 (USAFA) | 30 | (1961– ) | |
51 | William J. Bender | 19 Sep 2014 |
| 3 | 1983 (AFROTC) | 31 | ||
52 | John F. Thompson | 2 Oct 2014 |
| 7 | 1984 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
53 | Steven L. Kwast | 10 Nov 2014 |
| 5 | 1986 (USAFA) | 28 | ||
* | Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy | 19 Dec 2014 |
| 2 | 1986 (USAFA) | 28 | (c. 1964– ) [lower-alpha 18] Promoted to general, 12 Jul 2016. | |
54 | Mark C. Nowland | 19 Dec 2014 |
| 4 | 1985 (USAFA) | 29 | (1958– ) | |
55 | John B. Cooper | 22 May 2015 |
| 3 | 1983 (Citadel) | 32 | ||
56 | John L. Dolan | 5 Jun 2015 |
| 3 | 1986 (AFROTC) | 29 | (c. 1964– ) | |
57 | Mark A. Ediger | 5 Jun 2015 |
| 3 | 1986 (direct) | 29 | ||
58 | Lee K. Levy II | 5 Jun 2015 |
| 3 | 1985 (AFROTC) | 30 | (c. 1964– ) [lower-alpha 22] | |
59 | Jeffrey G. Lofgren | 19 Jun 2015 |
| 3 | 1984 (USAFA) | 31 | ||
* | Arnold W. Bunch Jr. | 24 Jun 2015 |
| 4 | 1984 (USAFA) | 31 | (1962– ) Promoted to general, 31 May 2019. | |
* | Charles Q. Brown Jr. | 29 Jun 2015 |
| 3 | 1985 (AFROTC) | 30 | (1962– ) [lower-alpha 11] [lower-alpha 23] Promoted to general, 26 Jul 2018. | |
* | Timothy M. Ray | 2 Jul 2015 |
| 3 | 1985 (USAFA) | 30 | (1963– ) Promoted to general, 21 Aug 2018. | |
60 | John N.T. Shanahan | 11 Aug 2015 |
| 5 | 1984 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1962– ) | |
61 | David J. Buck | 14 Aug 2015 |
| 2 | 1986 (OTS) | 29 | ||
62 | Gina M. Grosso | 15 Oct 2015 |
| 3 | 1986 (AFROTC) | 29 | (1964– ) U.S. Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security and Preparedness, 2021–2023. [7] | |
63 | Jack Weinstein | 20 Nov 2015 |
| 3 | 1982 (AFROTC) | 33 | ||
64 | John D. Bansemer | 7 Jan 2016 |
| 3 | 1987 (OTS) | 29 | ||
65 | L. Scott Rice | 4 May 2016 |
| 4 | 1980 (AFROTC) | 36 | (1958– ) | |
66 | R. Scott Williams | 6 Jul 2016 |
| 3 | 1984 (AFROTC) | 32 | ||
67 | Thomas W. Bergeson | 8 Jul 2016 |
| 4 | 1985 (USAFA) | 31 | (1962– ) | |
* | Maryanne Miller | 15 Jul 2016 |
| 2 | 1981 (AFROTC) | 35 | (1961– ) Promoted to general, 7 Sep 2018. | |
* | Jeffrey L. Harrigian | 22 Jul 2016 |
| 3 | 1985 (USAFA) | 31 | (1962– ) Promoted to general, 1 May 2019. | |
* | Kenneth S. Wilsbach | 16 Aug 2016 |
| 4 | 1985 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1963– ) Promoted to general, 8 Jul 2020. | |
68 | Stayce D. Harris | 19 Aug 2016 |
| 3 | 1982 (AFROTC) | 34 | (1959– ) First female African-American lieutenant general in the Air Force. [9] | |
* | Mark D. Kelly | 3 Oct 2016 |
| 4 | 1986 (AFROTC) | 30 | (c. 1962– ) Promoted to general, 28 Aug 2020. | |
69 | Jerry P. Martinez | 6 Oct 2016 |
| 3 | 1986 (USAFA) | 30 | (c. 1964– ) | |
70 | Richard M. Clark | 21 Oct 2016 |
| 8 | 1986 (USAFA) | 30 | (1964– ) First African-American superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy. [10] | |
71 | VeraLinn Jamieson | 2 Nov 2016 | 3 | 1982 (AFROTC) | 34 | (1960– ) | ||
72 | Steven M. Shepro | 3 Nov 2016 |
| 3 | 1984 (USAFA) | 32 | (c. 1962– ) | |
73 | Jerry D. Harris Jr. | 22 Feb 2017 | 2 | 1985 (AFROTC) | 32 | |||
74 | Robert D. McMurry Jr. | 2 May 2017 |
| 3 | 1985 (AFROTC) | 32 | ||
75 | Giovanni K. Tuck | 1 Jun 2017 |
| 3 | 1987 (AFROTC) | 30 | ||
76 | Bradford J. Shwedo | 9 Jun 2017 |
| 3 | 1987 (USAFA) | 30 | (c. 1969– ) Director, Institute for Future Conflict, 2021–present. [11] | |
77 | James C. Vechery | 2 Aug 2017 |
| 3 | 1988 (AFROTC) | 29 | (1966– ) | |
78 | Scott A. Howell | 2 Aug 2017 |
| 4 | 1987 (USAFA) | 30 | (1965– ) | |
79 | Jay B. Silveria | 11 Aug 2017 |
| 3 | 1985 (USAFA) | 32 | (1963– ) Executive Director, Bush School of Government and Public Service, 2020–present. [12] | |
* | Jacqueline D. Van Ovost | 8 Nov 2017 |
| 3 | 1988 (USAFA) | 29 | (1965– ) [lower-alpha 14] Promoted to general, 20 Aug 2020. | |
* | Anthony J. Cotton | 15 Feb 2018 |
| 3 | 1986 (AFROTC) | 32 | (c. 1963– ) [lower-alpha 14] Promoted to general, 27 Aug 2021. | |
* | David D. Thompson | 4 Apr 2018 |
| 2 | 1985 (USAFA) | 33 | (1963– ) [lower-alpha 24] [lower-alpha 25] Promoted to general, 1 Oct 2020. | |
80 | Jeffrey A. Rockwell | 18 May 2018 |
| 4 | 1987 (direct) [lower-alpha 26] | 34 | ||
81 | Dorothy A. Hogg | 4 Jun 2018 |
| 3 | 1983 (direct) | 35 | (1959– ) First woman to serve as Surgeon General of the United States Air Force. [13] | |
* | James C. Slife | 29 Jun 2018 |
| 5 | 1989 (AFROTC) | 29 | (1967– ) [lower-alpha 8] Promoted to general, 19 Dec 2023. | |
82 | Donald E. Kirkland | 7 Aug 2018 |
| 3 | 1988 (OTS) | 30 | ||
83 | Warren D. Berry | 17 Aug 2018 |
| 4 | 1987 (AFROTC) | 31 | ||
84 | Christopher P. Weggeman | 21 Aug 2018 |
| 3 | 1987 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1965– ) | |
* | Thomas A. Bussiere | 24 Aug 2018 |
| 4 | 1985 (Norwich) | 33 | (1963– ) Promoted to general, 7 Dec 2022. | |
85 | Joseph T. Guastella Jr. | 30 Aug 2018 |
| 4 | 1987 (USAFA) | 31 | (1965– ) | |
86 | Brian T. Kelly | 4 Sep 2018 |
| 4 | 1988 (AFROTC) | 30 | ||
87 | Jon T. Thomas | 4 Sep 2018 |
| 3 | 1989 (USAFA) | 29 | (1967– ) | |
88 | Richard W. Scobee | 7 Sep 2018 |
| 4 | 1986 (USAFA) | 32 | (1964– ) Son of astronaut and Space Shuttle Challenger commander Francis R. Scobee. [14] | |
89 | Timothy G. Fay | 1 Oct 2018 |
| 3 | 1987 (USAFA) | 31 | ||
90 | Thomas J. Sharpy | 12 Oct 2018 |
| 3 | 1987 (USAFA) | 31 | ||
91 | Michael T. Plehn | 22 Oct 2018 |
| 6 | 1988 (USAFA) | 30 | (1965– ) | |
* | David W. Allvin | 31 Jan 2019 |
| 1 | 1986 (USAFA) | 33 | (c. 1963– ) [lower-alpha 8] [lower-alpha 11] Promoted to general, 12 Nov 2020. | |
92 | Sami D. Said | 31 Jan 2019 |
| 3 | 1991 (OTS) | 28 | (1964– ) | |
* | Kevin B. Schneider | 5 Feb 2019 |
| 5 | 1988 (USAFA) | 31 | Promoted to general, 9 Feb 2024. | |
93 | Steven L. Basham | 1 May 2019 |
| 5 | 1989 (OTS) | 30 | (1965– ) | |
94 | Marc H. Sasseville | 18 Jun 2019 |
| 5 | 1985 (USAFA) | 34 | (1963– ) | |
* | Duke Z. Richardson | 20 Jun 2019 |
| 3 | 1989 (OTS) [lower-alpha 27] | 30 | (c. 1964– ) Promoted to general, 13 Jun 2022. | |
95 | Eric T. Fick | 11 Jul 2019 |
| 3 | 1990 (AFROTC) | 29 | ||
96 | David S. Nahom | 4 Sep 2019 |
| 5 | 1988 (AFROTC) | 31 | (1966– ) | |
* | Glen D. VanHerck | 27 Sep 2019 |
| 1 | 1987 (AFROTC) | 32 | (1962– ) [lower-alpha 18] Promoted to general, 20 Aug 2020. | |
* | Michael A. Minihan | 27 Sep 2019 |
| 2 | 1990 (AFROTC) | 29 | (1967– ) Promoted to general, 5 Oct 2021. Son of Air Force lieutenant general Kenneth Minihan. [16] | |
97 | Scott A. Kindsvater | 27 Sep 2019 |
| 2 | 1989 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
* | Timothy D. Haugh | 11 Oct 2019 |
| 5 | 1991 (AFROTC) | 28 | (1969– ) [lower-alpha 14] Promoted to general, 2 Feb 2024. | |
99 | Mary F. O'Brien | 8 Nov 2019 |
| 4 | 1989 (USAFA) | 30 | ||
* | James B. Hecker | 22 Nov 2019 |
| 3 | 1989 (USAFA) | 30 | (c. 1969– ) Promoted to general, 27 Jun 2022. |
The United States Air Force originated as the Air Corps of the Regular Army. During World War II the Regular Army was augmented with a larger temporary force of reservists, volunteers, and conscripts to form the Army of the United States. Air personnel in the combined force belonged to the Army Air Forces. After the war, all Air Corps and Army Air Forces personnel split off from the Army to form the independent Air Force.
The first United States airman to become a lieutenant general was Delos C. Emmons, commanding general of General Headquarters Air Force, who was appointed to that grade under a 1940 law authorizing the President to appoint Regular Army officers to temporary higher grades in the Army of the United States. The first airman to become a lieutenant general in the Regular Army was Frank M. Andrews, who was automatically elevated to that grade upon assuming command of the Panama Canal Department in 1941. The Regular Army grade of lieutenant general had been abolished at the end of World War I, but was revived in 1939 when Congress authorized the officers commanding certain important Army formations to be temporarily appointed to the grade while detailed to those positions; these commands included the four field armies and the Panama Canal and Hawaiian Departments. [18]
Numerous airmen were promoted to lieutenant general during World War II. Lieutenant generals typically commanded one of the numbered field armies or air forces; served as deputy theater commanders; or headed major headquarters staffs, administrative commands, or support organizations. Most World War II lieutenant generals were appointed to that grade in the Army of the United States, even if detailed to a position that already carried the Regular Army grade; unlike the ex officio Regular Army grade, which was lost if an officer was reassigned, the Army of the United States grade was personal to each individual, making it easier to transfer officers without inadvertently demoting them. [19]
Although most air lieutenant generals belonged to the Regular Army Air Corps, anyone could be appointed lieutenant general in the Army of the United States, including reservists and civilians; James H. Doolittle was promoted to lieutenant general as an Air Corps Reserve officer and William S. Knudsen was commissioned lieutenant general directly from civilian life. [20]
The National Security Act of 1947 transferred all personnel in the Army Air Forces, Air Corps, and General Headquarters Air Force to the newly created United States Air Force. Lieutenant generals in the new service typically headed divisions of the Air Staff in Washington, D.C.; the unified command in Alaska; the theater air forces in Europe or the Far East; or the Air Force's top-level strategic, tactical, air defense, materiel, or transportation commands. Many early three-star commands were subsequently upgraded to four stars, and their vice commanders were elevated to three stars along with the commanders of the larger numbered air forces. [21]
All three- and four-star ranks were made ex officio by the Officer Personnel Act of 1947, meaning that a lieutenant general had to be reconfirmed in that grade every time he changed jobs. During the Korean War the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) vice commander for operations, Major General Otto P. Weyland, was slated for a three-star job in the United States but Air Force Chief of Staff Hoyt S. Vandenberg wanted Weyland to be promoted to lieutenant general while still in the war zone, so Vandenberg created the new three-star position of deputy commanding general of FEAF just for Weyland. Once promoted, Weyland immediately returned stateside but remained technically assigned to FEAF in order to keep his new grade while waiting for the Senate to confirm him in his permanent three-star assignment as commanding general of Tactical Air Command. [22]
It was rare but not unheard of for a lieutenant general to be demoted by accepting a transfer to a lower ranking job. Air Force Inspector General Truman H. Landon and Fifth Air Force commanding generals Frank F. Everest and Glenn O. Barcus all reverted to major general for their next assignments but regained their third stars in subsequent postings. [23] Conversely, Major General Muir S. Fairchild skipped three-star rank entirely when he was appointed to the four-star office of vice chief of staff of the Air Force. [24]
Lieutenant generals in the Air Force typically serve in high-level command and staff positions, [25] including as commanders of major commands (MAJCOMs), [26] commanders of numbered air forces (NAF) [26] [27] that are concurrently designated as service component commands under a four-star unified combatant commander and deputy commanders of four-star major commands. Under the Air Staff, this includes the director of staff and deputy chiefs of staff (limited to 8 by statute) [28] under the authority of the chief and vice chief of staff of the Air Force, as well as the inspector general [29] who answers directly to the service secretary. High-level specialty positions such as the surgeon general, [30] judge advocate general, [31] and chief of Air Force Reserve [32] may also hold three-star rank, though not by statute. The superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy and director of the Air National Guard have been three-star positions since 1983 [lower-alpha 30] and 2002 respectively.
About 20 to 30 joint service three-star billets exist at any given time that can be occupied by an Air Force lieutenant general, among the most prestigious being the Director of the Joint Staff (DJS), principal staff advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and historically considered a stepping stone to four-star rank. [33] All deputy commanders of the unified combatant commands are of three-star rank, as is the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau [34] and directors of Defense Agencies not headed by a civilian such as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIRDIA). [35] Internationally based three-star positions include the deputy chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC), the United States military representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), and the security coordinator for the Palestinian National Authority in Israel. All nominees for three-star rank must be confirmed via majority by the Senate before the appointee can take office and thus assume the rank. [36]
The U.S. Code states that no more than 35 officers [lower-alpha 31] in the U.S. Air Force may be promoted beyond the rank of major general and below the rank of general on the active duty list, with the exception of those on joint duty assignments. [37] However, the President [37] may designate up to 15 additional three-star appointments, with the condition that for every service branch allotted such additional three-star appointments, an equivalent number must be reduced from other service branches. Other exceptions exist for non-active duty or reserve appointments, as well as other circumstances. [38] As such, three-star positions can be elevated to four-star status or reduced to two-star status where deemed necessary, either to highlight their increasing importance [lower-alpha 32] to the defense apparatus (or lack thereof) or to achieve parity with equivalent commands in other services or regions. Several three-star positions have been created, consolidated, or even eliminated during this era.
Military nominations are considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee. While it is rare for three-star or four-star nominations to face even token opposition in the Senate, nominations that do face opposition due to controversy surrounding the nominee in question are typically withdrawn. Nominations that are not withdrawn are allowed to expire without action at the end of the legislative session.
Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office.
The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act explicitly prohibits adding new general officer billets to the Space Force beyond the sole four-star billet of the chief of space operations. This necessitated that five Air Force three-star appointments be transferred to the Space Force, leaving them with 30 as opposed to 35 available three-star positions. [69] [70] [37]
The following list of Congressional legislation includes all acts of Congress pertaining to appointments to the grade of lieutenant general in the United States Air Force from 2010 to 2019. [lower-alpha 36]
Each entry lists an act of Congress, its citation in the United States Statutes at Large or Public Law number, and a summary of the act's relevance, with officers affected by the act bracketed where applicable. Positions listed without reference to rank are assumed to be eligible for officers of three-star grade or higher.
Legislation | Citation | Summary |
---|---|---|
Act of January 7, 2011 [Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011] | 124 Stat. 4137 |
|
Act of December 31, 2011 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012] | 125 Stat. 1298 |
|
Act of December 23, 2016 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017] | 130 Stat. 2000 |
|
Act of December 12, 2019 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020] | 133 Stat. 1346 |
|
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters. The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of a chairman (CJCS), a vice chairman (VJCS), the chiefs of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. Each of the individual service chiefs, outside their JCS obligations, works directly under the secretaries of their respective military departments, e.g. the secretary of the Army, the secretary of the Navy, and the secretary of the Air Force.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces and the principal military advisor to the president, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the secretary of defense. While the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff outranks all other commissioned officers, the chairman is prohibited by law from having operational command authority over the armed forces; however, the chairman assists the president and the secretary of defense in exercising their command functions.
The chief of staff of the Air Force is the service chief of the United States Air Force. They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and thereby a military adviser to the National Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president. The chief of staff is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Air Force, unless the chairman and/or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers.
United States military seniority is the method by which the United States Armed Forces determines precedence among commissioned officers, in particular those who hold the same rank. Seniority is used to determine assignments, tactical commands, promotions and general courtesy. To a lesser extent, historical seniority is used to recognize status of honor given to early United States military leaders such as inaugural holders of certain ranks or those officers who served as leadership during major wars and armed conflicts.
In the United States military, a general is the most senior general-grade officer; it is the highest achievable commissioned officer rank that may be attained in the United States Armed Forces, with exception of the Navy and Coast Guard, which have the equivalent rank of admiral instead. The official and formal insignia of "general" is defined by its four stars.
In the United States Armed Forces, a lieutenant general is a three-star general officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
In the United States Armed Forces, a brigadier general is a one-star general officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
In the United States Armed Forces, a major general is a two-star general officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
A rear admiral in the uniformed services of the United States is either of two different ranks of commissioned officers: one-star flag officers and two-star flag officers. By contrast, in most other countries, the term "rear admiral" refers only to an officer of two-star rank.
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