Claude Robert "Bob" Kehler, (born April 7, 1952) is a retired
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
who served as Commander,
United States Strategic Command
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_weapon, ...
from January 28, 2011, to November 15, 2013.
USAF Biography: General C. Robert "Bob" Kehler
/ref> He previously served as Commander, Air Force Space Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
from October 12, 2007, to January 5, 2011. As commander of Air Force Space Command, he was responsible for the development, acquisition and operation of the Air Force's space and missile systems. He oversaw a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities, and ensures the combat readiness of America's intercontinental ballistic missile force. He led more than 39,700 space professionals who provide combat forces and capabilities to North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...
and U.S. Strategic Command. He was also responsible for the plans and operations for all U.S. forces conducting strategic deterrence and Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
space and cyberspace operations. He officially retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2014, after nearly 39 years of service.
Early life
C. Robert Kehler was born April 7, 1952, in Danville, Pennsylvania
Danville is a borough in and the county seat of Montour County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. The population was 4,221 at the census.
Danville is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area.
...
. He spent his formative years in Pennsylvania, graduating from Shamokin Area High School, and early on, decided he wanted to be a Penn State Nittany Lion. He was accepted at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
degree in education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
in 1974.
Air Force career
Kehler began his Air Force training while in college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
with the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.
Overview
While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
detachment at Penn State. While Kehler was in college, the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
caused controversy on campus and his ROTC unit was omitted from the Penn State Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a type of a book published annually. One use is to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. The term also refers to a book of statistics or facts published annually. A yearbook often ...
for the years 1971–1973. His unit continued to excel though, winning the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the academic years 1971-2 and 1974–5. Kehler was a distinguished ROTC graduate and officially entered into active duty service in April 1975.
Shortly after, he attended Missile Combat Crew Operational Readiness Training at Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg may refer to:
* Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name
* USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in Key West, Florida
* Vandenberg Sp ...
in California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. Once again, Kehler was a distinguished graduate in June. He moved on to serve as a Missile Combat Crew Member, Instructor and an Emergency War Order Instructor at the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place (CDP) in Cascade County, Montana, United States, adjacent to the city of Great Falls. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom. ...
in Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
. As a strategic missile wing in the height of the Cold War, Malmstrom's missile field was the largest in the United States covering and maintaining 200 Minuteman II
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and re ...
intercontinental ballistic missiles
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...
in four missile squadrons. Crew shifts rotated to ensure individual silos missile had coverage 24 hours a day.
While at the 341st Wing, Captain Kehler completed Squadron Officer School, and, as was his tradition, was one of a few named distinguished graduate. He completed his tour with the 341st in January 1981 and was selected for an Air Staff Training Program internship. He then served as a personnel staff officer at the Headquarters of the US Air Force in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
His first son, Matt was born in February 1982. Shortly after the birth of his son, he was assigned as a missile operations staff officer at Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
.
From the plains of Nebraska, Captain Kehler, soon to be promoted to major, moved his family to Washington, D.C., in January 1985. In Washington, he served in the Air Force Office of Legislative Liaison as the Chief of the Strategic Missile Branch. There he was the point man on Capitol Hill for matters regarding the President Ronald Reagan's ICBM Modernization Program. While in this assignment, Major Kehler's wife had their second son, Jared, in 1986. Major Kehler also completed a Master of Science
A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...
degree in public administration
Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit est ...
through the University of Oklahoma
, mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State"
, type = Public research university
, established =
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.7billion (2021)
, pr ...
at Norman, Oklahoma
Norman () is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,097 as of 2021. It is the largest city and the county seat of Cleveland County, and the second-largest city in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, b ...
, in 1987.
Following his tour working on Capitol Hill, Major Kehler attended and graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College
The Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multina ...
in Norfolk, Virginia, from January to June 1988.
Kehler's next assignment was in the Nuclear and Chemical Division of the Joint Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
in Washington, D.C., serving as a nuclear employment and policy planner. There he helped formulate revolutionary changes to nuclear war plan structure and targeting. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1989.
In July 1991 Lieutenant Colonel Kehler took command of the 508th Missile Squadron
The 508th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 351st Operations Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballist ...
at Whiteman Air Force Base
Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, United States. The base is the current home of the B-2 Spirit bomber. It is named for 2nd Lt George Whiteman, who was killed during the attac ...
in Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
. As commander, he was in charge of maintaining and manning 50 Minuteman II ICBMs, keeping them always at the ready. After a year in command he moved up to be Deputy Commander of the 351st Operations Group also at Whiteman AFB
Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, United States. The base is the current home of the B-2 Spirit bomber. It is named for 2nd Lt George Whiteman, who was killed during the attac ...
, expanding his responsibilities to three missile squadrons. While in this position, he also completed Air War College
The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...
curriculum
In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...
through correspondence.
Ready to take command of an operations group, Lt. Col. Kehler moved back to Malmstrom AFB in Montana to assume command of the 341st Operations Group, where he had served his first operational tour. During this tour, he was promoted to colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
. In August 1994, Col. Kehler attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...
, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies in July 1995. A paper he wrote while at the Naval War College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...
entitled, "Nuclear Armed Adversaries and the Joint Commander," was later published in the Naval War College Review.
Following War College, Col. Kehler moved into a number of leadership positions in the Air Force space arena. He and his family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he served as both Inspector General and Deputy Director of Operations at the Headquarters of Air Force Space Command. The Headquarters is responsible for all aspects of US Air Force space issues. In June 1996, he moved on to take command of the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The 30th Space Wing launches vehicles into earth orbit using the Titan II, Titan IV and Delta II rockets among others. The launch range is also used to test new rockets.
In June 1998, the Kehler family again returned to Washington, D.C., as Col. Kehler became Chief of the Space Superiority Division and Chairman of the Space Superiority and Nuclear Deterrence Panel in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs at the US Air Force Headquarters at The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a meton ...
. As chair of the panel, Col. Kehler managed the $45 billion Air Force space program through the corporate resource allocation process. He also made a brief stop back in his home state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
to attend the Program for Executives sponsored by Carnegie-Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
in Pittsburgh. Then from September 1999 to August 2000, Col. Kehler served as the special assistant to the Director of Programs in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs.
General officer
In July 2000, the Air Force promoted Kehler with his first star and joined the ranks of US Air Force general officers. His first assignment as a general officer was as the Commander of the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Space Force Base, previously Peterson Air Force Base, Peterson Field, and Army Air Base, Colorado Springs, is a U.S. Space Force Base that shares an airfield with the adjacent Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and is home to the N ...
in Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
which supports space surveillance and control.
From his command tour, he returned to Washington, D.C., as Director of National Security Space Integration in the Office of the Undersecretary of the Air Force. As Director he integrated the activities of a number of space organizations on behalf of the Under Secretary of the Air Force and the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. fe ...
. He also picked up a second star while in this position and accepted his promotion to major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
on August 1, 2003.
In May 2005, he returned to Nebraska to assume the duties of Deputy Commander for the United States Strategic Command
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_weapon, ...
. He earned a third star as well and was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
on June 1, 2005. In his role as Deputy Commander, he assists the Commander of USSTRATCOM in managing the missions of global strike, missile defense, space operations, intelligence coordination, network warfare and combating weapons of mass destruction.
In October 2007, he was promoted to general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
and assumed the command of Air Force Space Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
. He replaced outgoing General Kevin P. Chilton
Kevin Patrick "Chilli" Chilton (born November 3, 1954) is an American mechanical engineer and retired United States Air Force four-star general, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. His last assignment was as commander of U.S. Strategic Command from ...
, who became commander of United States Strategic Command
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_weapon, ...
.
In January 2011, Kehler once again relieved General Chilton as the commander of U.S. Strategic Command.
On January 1, 2014, Kehler officially retired from active duty.
Education
Assignments
# April 1975 – June 1975, student, missile combat crew operational readiness training, Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg may refer to:
* Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name
* USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in Key West, Florida
* Vandenberg Sp ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
# June 1975 – January 1981, missile combat crew member, instructor, senior evaluator, and Emergency War Order instructor, 341st Strategic Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place (CDP) in Cascade County, Montana, United States, adjacent to the city of Great Falls. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom. ...
, Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
# January 1981 – April 1982, personnel staff officer, Air Staff Training Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
# April 1982 – January 1985, missile operations staff officer, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
# January 1985 – January 1988, resource planner, Directorate of Air Force Operations Plans, and Chief, Strategic Missile Branch, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Legislative Liaison, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
# January 1988 – June 1988, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
# July 1988 – July 1991, nuclear employment and policy planner, Nuclear and Chemical Division, Joint Staff, The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a meton ...
, Washington, D.C.
# July 1991 – July 1992, Commander, 508th Missile Squadron
The 508th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 351st Operations Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was equipped with the LGM-30F Minuteman II Intercontinental ballist ...
, Whiteman Air Force Base
Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, United States. The base is the current home of the B-2 Spirit bomber. It is named for 2nd Lt George Whiteman, who was killed during the attac ...
, Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
# July 1992 – February 1993, Deputy Commander, 351st Operations Group, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
# February 1993 – August 1994, Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place (CDP) in Cascade County, Montana, United States, adjacent to the city of Great Falls. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom. ...
, Montana
# August 1994 – July 1995, student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
# July 1995 – August 1995, Inspector General, Headquarters Air Force Space Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
, Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Space Force Base, previously Peterson Air Force Base, Peterson Field, and Army Air Base, Colorado Springs, is a U.S. Space Force Base that shares an airfield with the adjacent Colorado Springs Municipal Airport and is home to the N ...
, Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
# August 1995 – June 1996, Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
# June 1996 – June 1998, Commander, 30th Space Wing
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
# June 1998 – September 1999, Chief, Space Superiority Division, and Chairman, Space Superiority and Nuclear Deterrence Panel, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
# September 1999 – August 2000, special assistant to the Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
# August 2000 – May 2002, Commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
# May 2002 – May 2005, Director, National Security Space Integration, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
# May 2005 – October 2007, Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
# October 2007 – January 2011, Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
# January 2011 – December 2013, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
Awards and decorations
Effective dates of promotion
References
External links
Gen. C. Robert Kehler interviewed on ''Conversations from Penn State''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kehler, C. Robert
1952 births
Living people
Penn State College of Education alumni
University of Oklahoma alumni
Naval War College alumni
Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
United States Air Force generals
Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal