Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder Jr. | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Bob" |
Born | October 15, 1952 |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1975–2009 |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
Unit | Air Force Network Operations Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike and Integration |
Commands held | 8th Air Force 596th Bombardment Squadron 5th Bomb Wing |
Battles/wars | Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom |
Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Meritorious Service Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal |
Lieutenant General Robert J. "Bob" Elder Jr. (born October 15, 1952) [1] is the former Commander, 8th Air Force; [2] Commander, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He is now a member of the research faculty at George Mason University. As one of three active-duty numbered air forces in Air Combat Command, 8th Air Force provides long-range global strike, battle management, surveillance and reconnaissance, intelligence, information operations, tactical air control, and expeditionary heavy construction capabilities to combatant commanders. The "Mighty Eighth" also conducted computer network operations as the Air Force component to the Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations before that duty was transferred to 24th Air Force, and trains Air and Space Operations Center personnel for worldwide deployment and participation in the multinational Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment.
As the Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, General Elder serves as the lead integrator for USSTRATCOM crisis action planning, conducts global strike planning to deliver rapid, extended range, kinetic and non-kinetic effects in support of theater and national objectives, and provides situational awareness and integrated analysis of global mission capabilities for all STRATCOM operational responsibilities. General Elder also commands Task Force 204, which is responsible for monitoring all nuclear bomber, reconnaissance, and cruise missile generation operations. The Task Force 204 battlestaff is a cross-functional team that manages the generation, sustainment, logistics, security and safety of more than 100 B-2, B-52 Stratofortress, U-2, EP-3 and RC-135 aircraft at seven bases.
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in northwest Louisiana, United States, in Bossier Parish. It is contiguous to Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwestern edge. Barksdale Air Force Base occupies more than 22,000 acres (89 km2) east of Bossier City and along the southern edge of Interstate 20. More than 15,000 active-duty and Air Force Reserve members serve at Barksdale.
Lance L. Smith is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation from November 10, 2005, to November 9, 2007. A highly decorated combat veteran, the general retired from active duty on January 1, 2008.
Randall Mark Schmidt was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force.
Lieutenant General Tome H. Walters Jr. was Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Virginia. The agency directs and oversees U.S. foreign military sales, foreign military financing programs, international military education and training programs, and humanitarian assistance and demining programs.
William Thomas Hobbins is a former Air Force general, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe; commander of Air Component Command, Ramstein; and director of Joint Air Power Competence Center, Kalkar, Germany.
Brigadier General Clifford Schoeffler was director of operations and training in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He was a command pilot with more than 10,000 flying hours accumulated during his career.
Bruce Allen Carlson, was the 17th Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). He is a former four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the sixth Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. After over 37 years of service, he retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2009. Carlson served as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 2009 to October 2015.
Gregory A. Biscone is a retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force. He last served as the Inspector General of the Air Force assigned within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. and retired on 1 July 2016.
Daniel P. Woodward is an American pilot and military officer who served as director of regional affairs in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs.
Donald Graham Cook is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as commander, Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas from 2001 to 2005.
Eugene Emil Habiger was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Strategic Command (USCINCSTRAT) from 1996 to 1998. After retiring from the military on August 1, 1998, he served as Director of Security and Emergency Operations, U.S. Department of Energy, from 1999 to 2001.
Major General Garrett Harencak is the Commander of the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service. Previously, he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U. S. Air Force. Prior this position, Harencak served as commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC), Air Force Materiel Command at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The AFNWC is responsible for the entire scope of U.S. Air Force nuclear weapons support functions and in addition to its headquarters at Kirtland, comprises several other units in the U.S and abroad.
Frank Graham Klotz served as Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security and Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy. He was confirmed for the position on April 8, 2014, and retired on January 20, 2018.
General William M. Fraser III is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as Commander, United States Transportation Command. He previously served as Commander, Air Combat Command from September 10, 2009 to September 30, 2011, the 34th Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 9 October 2008 to 27 August 2009, and as Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from May 2006 to 8 October 2008. As the Assistant to the CJCS, Fraser oversaw matters requiring close personal control by the Chairman, with particular focus on international relations and politico-military concerns. As commander of United States Transportation Command, Fraser was in charge of managing all global air, land and sea transportation. He retired on May 5, 2014.
Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides combat-ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of combatant commanders. Air Force Global Strike Command is the Air Force's service component to the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
Sandra E. Finan was the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and Information Infrastructure Capabilities, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Stephen W. "Seve" Wilson is a retired United States Air Force four-star general, who last served as the 39th vice chief of staff of the Air Force. He previously served as the deputy commander of United States Strategic Command. Prior to that, he served as the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, La. In his capacity as commander of Air Force Global Strike Command his responsibilities included organizing, training, equipping, and maintaining all United States ICBM and nuclear-capable bomber forces. Prior to his current assignment, Wilson served as Commander, Eighth Air Force. Wilson was the longest serving vice chief of staff in Air Force history. He had his retirement ceremony on November 13, 2020 and retired effective December 31, 2020.
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.
John A. Bradley was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who served as Commander of the United States Air Force Reserve Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., and commander, Headquarters Air Force Reserve, a separate operating agency located at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. As chief of Air Force Reserve, he served as the principal adviser on Reserve matters to the Air Force Chief of Staff. As commander of AFRES, he had full responsibility for the supervision of U.S. Air Force Reserve units around the world. He served in this position from November 1994 to June 1998.
Lieutenant General Salvatore A. "Sam" Angelella is a retired United States Air Force officer who last served as commander, United States Forces Japan and commander, 5th Air Force from July 2012 to August 2015. During that assignment, Angelella was the senior United States military representative in Japan and commander of United States Air Force units in Japan.