![Flag of a United States Air Force lieutenant general](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Flag_of_a_United_States_Air_Force_lieutenant_general.svg)
This is a list of lieutenant generals in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
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
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 a ...
(''two-star general'') and below
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
(''four-star general'').
There have been 131
lieutenant generals
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the U.S. Air Force from 2010 to 2019, 30 of whom were elevated to
four-star general
A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the Ranks and insignia of NATO, NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral, (full) 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
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Unit ...
(USAFA), 44 via
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...
(AFROTC) at a civilian university, 13 via
Air Force Officer Training School
Officer Training School (OTS) is a United States Air Force and United States Space Force commissioning program located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
Overview
Officer Training School is a part of the Jeanne M. Holm Center fo ...
(OTS), seven via AFROTC at a
senior military college
In the United States, a senior military college (SMC) is one of six colleges that offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs under , though many other schools offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps under other sectio ...
, five via
direct commission
A direct commission officer (DCO) is a United States uniformed officer who has received an appointed commission without the typical prerequisites for achieving a commission, such as attending a four-year service academy, a four-year or two-year ...
(direct), and
one
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
via direct commission inter-service transfer from the
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
(ARNG).
List of generals
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, active-duty positions held while serving at three-star rank, number of years of active-duty service at three-star rank (Yrs), year commissioned and source of commission, number of years in commission when promoted to three-star rank (YC), and other biographical notes (years of birth and death are shown in parentheses in the Notes column). Officers transferred to the
U.S. Space Force
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...
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
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...
are excluded.
Timeline
2010–2019
History
The
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
originated as the
Air Corps of the
Regular Army
A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregulars, irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenary, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the ...
. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the Regular Army was augmented with a larger temporary force of reservists, volunteers, and conscripts to form the
Army of the United States
The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive si ...
. Air personnel in the combined force belonged to the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
. After the war, all Air Corps and Army Air Forces personnel split off from the Army to form the independent Air Force.
1939–1947 (U.S. Army Air Forces)
![Lieutenant General Delos C Emmons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Lieutenant_General_Delos_C_Emmons.jpg)
The first United States airman to become a lieutenant general was
Delos C. Emmons
Delos Carleton Emmons (January 17, 1889 – October 3, 1965) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army. Essentially a "desk general," he was the military governor of Hawaii in the aftermath of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and administered t ...
, commanding general of
General Headquarters Air Force
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
, 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 Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive si ...
. The first airman to become a lieutenant general in the Regular Army was
Frank M. Andrews
Lieutenant General Frank Maxwell Andrews (February 3, 1884 – May 3, 1943) was a senior officer of the United States Army and one of the founders of the United States Army Air Forces, which was later to become the United States Air Force. ...
, who was automatically elevated to that grade upon assuming command of the
Panama Canal Department
The Panama Canal Department was a department (geographical command) of the United States Army, responsible for the defense of the Panama Canal Zone between 1917 and 1947.
First U.S. Army presence
The Isthmian Canal Commission and the Panama Can ...
in 1941. The Regular Army grade of lieutenant general had been abolished at the end of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, 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
A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, and withi ...
and the Panama Canal and
Hawaiian Departments.
[''Army Register''; ; Acts of July 31, 1940, and September 9, 1940.]
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.
[''Army Register''; ; .]
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
James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his daring raid on Japan during World War II. He also made early coast-to-coast flights ...
was promoted to lieutenant general as an Air Corps Reserve officer and
William S. Knudsen
William Signius Knudsen (March 25, 1879 – April 27, 1948) was a leading Danish-American automotive industry executive and an American general during World War II. His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of F ...
was commissioned lieutenant general directly from civilian life.
1947–1960 (U.S. Air Force)
![Weyland_op](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Weyland_op.jpg)
The
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 ( Pub.L.br>80-253 61 Stat.br>495 enacted July 26, 1947) was a law enacting major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. The majority of the pro ...
transferred all personnel in the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
,
Air Corps, and
General Headquarters Air Force
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
to the newly created
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
. 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
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
or the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
; or the Air Force's top-level
strategic
Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...
,
tactical
Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to:
* Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks
** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield
** Chess tactics
** Political tacti ...
,
air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
,
materiel
Materiel (; ) refers to supplies, equipment, and weapons in military supply-chain management, and typically supplies and equipment in a commercial supply chain context.
In a military context, the term ''materiel'' refers either to the specifi ...
, or
transportation
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...
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
A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squadrons, and groups. .
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
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
the
Far East Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
(FEAF) vice commander for operations, Major General
Otto P. Weyland
Otto Paul Weyland (January 27, 1903 – September 2, 1979) was a United States Air Force general and the post-World War II Commander of Far East Air Forces during the Korean War and of Tactical Air Command.
Early life
His family moved to Texas ...
, was slated for a three-star job in the United States but
Air Force Chief of Staff
The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office () held by a General (United States), general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the United States Secretary of t ...
Hoyt S. Vandenberg
Hoyt Sanford Vandenberg (January 24, 1899 – April 2, 1954) was a United States Air Force general. He served as the second Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the second Director of Central Intelligence.
During World War II, Vandenberg was ...
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
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
.
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
General Truman Hempel "Ted" Landon (February 11, 1905 – January 27, 1986) was a U.S. Air Force general and commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
Landon was born in Maryville, Missouri, and grew up in Carlinville, Illinois. After graduation fr ...
and
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiza ...
commanding generals
Frank F. Everest
Frank Fort Everest (November 13, 1904 – October 10, 1983) was a Military star ranking, four-star General (United States), general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He commanded both United States Air Forces in Europe and Tactical Air ...
and
Glenn O. Barcus all reverted to major general for their next assignments but regained their third stars in subsequent postings. Conversely, Major General
Muir S. Fairchild
General (United States), General Muir Stephen Fairchild (September 2, 1894 – March 17, 1950) was a United States Air Force officer and the service's second Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Vice Chief of Staff.
Early service
...
skipped three-star rank entirely when he was appointed to the four-star office of
vice chief of staff of the Air Force
The vice chief of staff of the Air Force (VCSAF) is the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Air Force. If the chief of staff of the Air Force (CSAF) is absent or is unable to perform his duties, then the VCSAF assumes t ...
.
Modern use
![Lt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Lt._Gen._L._Scott_Rice_assumes_helm_as_Air_Guard_director_160510-Z-CD688-111.jpg)
There are presently 29 three-star billets in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
. Lieutenant generals in the Air Force typically serve in high-level command and staff positions, including as commanders of
major commands (MAJCOMs),
[ – Commands: territorial organization] commanders of
numbered air force
A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squ ...
s (NAF)
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) under the authority of the
chief
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
and
vice chief of staff of the Air Force
The vice chief of staff of the Air Force (VCSAF) is the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Air Force. If the chief of staff of the Air Force (CSAF) is absent or is unable to perform his duties, then the VCSAF assumes t ...
, as well as the
inspector general
An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general".
Australia
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...
who answers directly to the
service secretary. High-level specialty positions such as the
surgeon general,
judge advocate general, and chief of
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
may also hold three-star rank, though not by statute. The
superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy
The superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy is the senior officer and commander of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The position is normally held by an active duty Air Force lieutenant general, and i ...
and
director of the Air National Guard have been three-star positions since 1983 and 2002 respectively.
![Lt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Lt._Gen._Cotton_assumes_command_of_Air_University_180215-F-ZI558-1015.jpg)
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
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...
), principal staff advisor to the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
and historically considered a stepping stone to four-star rank.
All deputy commanders of the
unified combatant command
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, an ...
s are of three-star rank, as is the
vice chief of the National Guard Bureau
The vice chief of the National Guard Bureau (VCNGB) is the second highest-ranking officer of the National Guard Bureau, which is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense. The vice chief is also the second in charge of the Nation ...
and directors of Defense Agencies not headed by a civilian such as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (
DIRDIA). Internationally based three-star positions include the
deputy chair of the NATO Military Committee
The Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC) is the deputy head of the NATO Military Committee. Originally titled as the Deputy Chairman, the post was redesignated in 2021 to reflect the gender-neutrality of the post.
The current Depu ...
(DCMC), the
United States military representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), and the security coordinator for the
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
. 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.
[ – Positions of importance and responsibility: generals and lieutenant generals; admirals and vice admirals.]
Statutory limits, elevations and reductions
![AFRC Commander promoted 120816-F-EK235-074](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/AFRC_Commander_promoted_120816-F-EK235-074.jpg)
The
U.S. Code
In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...
states that no more than 30 officers in the
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
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.
[ – Distribution of commissioned officers on active duty in general officer and flag officer grades.] However, the
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
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.
[ – Authorized strength: general and flag officers on active duty.] 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 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.
* The rank of the
vice chief of the National Guard Bureau
The vice chief of the National Guard Bureau (VCNGB) is the second highest-ranking officer of the National Guard Bureau, which is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense. The vice chief is also the second in charge of the Nation ...
was raised to lieutenant general in 2012 with the passage of the
2012 National Defense Authorization Act, achieving parity with the directors of the
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
and
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
. Major General
Joseph L. Lengyel
Joseph Lauren Lengyel (born 1959) is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the 28th chief of the National Guard Bureau from August 2016 to August 2020. As chief, he was responsible for ensuring that nearly 460,00 ...
was subsequently promoted and assumed the role of vice chief on 18 August 2012. This was the fourth three-star billet allocated to the
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
, the others being the aforementioned ARNG/ANG directors and the deputy commander of
U.S. Northern Command
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...
.
* The Air Force chief information officer became a civilian office in 2018, following similar restructuring by the Navy. Lieutenant General
Bradford J. Shwedo was the last commissioned officer to hold the CIO position, ceding control to his deputy, William E. Marion II until his successor,
under secretary of the Air Force
The Under Secretary of the Air Force (USECAF, or SAF/US), sometimes referred to as the Under Secretary of the Department of the Air Force, is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Air Force, Departmen ...
Matthew P. Donovan assumed office. Shwedo's military responsibilities were transferred to the then-DCS A2, Lieutenant General
VeraLinn Jamieson as the new DCS A2/6 in 2019.
*
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...
(AETC), which had been a four-star major command since 1975 was downgraded to three-star level to compensate for the elevation of the
Air Force Global Strike Command
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 stri ...
(AFGSC) to a four-star command. Accordingly, the office of the
assistant chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration was raised to deputy chief of staff level with the rank of lieutenant general. Lieutenant General
Robin Rand
Robin Rand (born 1956) is a retired United States Air Force general and former commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. He also concurrently served as the commander of Air Forces Strategic, United States Strategic Command, a command that pro ...
was promoted to full general to assume command of AFGSC, with
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
commander, Lieutenant General
Darryl Roberson relieving Rand at AETC and Major General
Jack Weinstein being promoted to lieutenant general as the first DCS A10.
* Five
numbered air forces
A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squadrons, and groups. faced rank transitions between 2010 and 2019:
**
First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) became a three-star command in August 2011, with Lieutenant General
Stanley E. Clarke III assuming command from Major General
Garry C. Dean on 31 August 2011.
**
Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) became a two-star command in August 2018, with Major General
Andrew A. Croft assuming command from Lieutenant General
Mark D. Kelly on 3 August 2018.
**
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
, the NAF attached to the
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 ...
was redesignated as
Space Operations Command
Space Operations Command (SpOC) is the United States Space Force's space operations, cyber operations, and intelligence field command. It is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado and serves as the U.S. Space Force's service com ...
from December 2019 to October 2020 with the establishment of the U.S. Space Force. When SpOC was made into a separate field command, the former was redesignated back to Fourteenth Air Force and deactivated. The NAF's last two commanders, Major Generals
Stephen N. Whiting
Stephen Newman Whiting (born September 14, 1967) is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who serves as the first commander of the Space Operations Command. He previously served as the deputy commander of the Air Force Space Command, w ...
and
John E. Shaw became lieutenant generals in the Space Force.
**
Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) in 2019 was reactivated as a three-star command from the merger of the
Twenty-Fourth and
Twenty-Fifth Air Force
Twenty-Fifth Air Force (25 AF), also known as Air Force Intelligence, was a numbered air force (NAF) within the United States Air Force (USAF), and served as the Air Force's premier military intelligence organization. 25 AF was established on ...
s, with Lieutenant General
Timothy D. Haugh as its inaugural commander effective 11 October 2019.
**
Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) was reduced to a two-star command in July 2018, with Major General
Sam C. Barrett assuming command from Lieutenant General
Giovanni K. Tuck on 31 July 2018.
Senate confirmations
![130517-F-CJ792-555](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/130517-F-CJ792-555.jpg)
Military nominations are considered by the
Senate Armed Services Committee
The Committee on Armed Services (sometimes abbreviated SASC for ''Senate Armed Services Committee'') is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defe ...
. 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.
* For example, the nomination of Lieutenant General
Susan J. Helms
Susan Jane Helms (born February 26, 1958) is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general and NASA astronaut. She was the commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic); and commander, Joint Functiona ...
for reappointment to rank to become vice commander 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 ...
was withdrawn in November 2013,
after an eight-month-long
hold
Hold may refer to:
Physical spaces
* Hold (ship), interior cargo space
* Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane
* Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Fermat ...
by Senator
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill (; born July 24, 1953) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Missouri from 2007 to 2019 and as State Auditor of Missouri from 1999 to 2007.
McCaskill is a native of Rolla, Missouri. She gr ...
due to concerns about her overturning the ruling in a sexual assault case under her command. Helms subsequently submitted a request for retirement, effective 1 April 2014.
* The nomination of Major General
Ryan F. Gonsalves
Ryan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
*Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
Places Australia
* Division of Ryan, an elector ...
for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general of
U.S. Army Europe
United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) /Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICO ...
was withdrawn in November 2017
after an investigation was launched into the general's inappropriate comment to a female Congressional staffer.
As a result, Gonsalves was administratively reprimanded and retired in May 2018.
Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office.
* For example, Major General
John G. Rossi, who had been confirmed for promotion to lieutenant general
and assignment as the commanding general of the
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
The United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) of the United States Army. The command was established in 1997.
The current USASMDC commander is Lieutenant General Daniel L. Karbler ...
in April 2016 died by suicide two days before his scheduled promotion and assumption of command.
As a result, the then incumbent commander of USASMDC, Lieutenant General
David L. Mann, remained in command beyond statutory term limits until another nominee, Major General
James H. Dickinson
James H. Dickinson is a United States Army general currently serving as the commander of the United States Space Command, previously serving as its deputy commander until assuming his current position in August 2020. He also served as the comma ...
was confirmed by the Senate.
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
The chief of space operations (CSO) is the service chief of the United States Space Force. The CSO is the principal military adviser to the secretary of the Air Force for Space Force operations and, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a mi ...
. 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.
* For example, the position of commander of the
Space and Missile Systems Center
Space Systems Command (SSC) is the United States Space Force's space development, acquisition, launch, and logistics field command. It is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California and manages the United States' space launch ...
(SMC) was transferred to the Space Force as the center transitioned into the
Space Systems Command
Space Systems Command (SSC) is the United States Space Force's space development, acquisition, launch, and logistics field command. It is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California and manages the United States' space launch ra ...
(SSC), the second Space Force field command to be established. The last Air Force general to command SMC, Lieutenant General
John F. Thompson retired in August 2021 to make way for Lieutenant General
Michael A. Guetlein, who assumed command of Space Systems Command on 13 August 2021.
Legislative history
The following list of Congressional legislation includes all
acts of Congress
An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called private laws), or to the general public ( public laws). For a bill to become an act, the text must pass through both house ...
pertaining to appointments to the grade of lieutenant general in the United States Air Force from 2010 to 2019.
Each entry lists an act of Congress, its citation in the
United States Statutes at Large
The ''United States Statutes at Large'', commonly referred to as the ''Statutes at Large'' and abbreviated Stat., are an official record of Acts of Congress and concurrent resolutions passed by the United States Congress. Each act and resolutio ...
or
Public Law
Public law is the part of law that governs relations between legal persons and a government, between different institutions within a state, between different branches of governments, as well as relationships between persons that are of direct ...
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.
See also
*
Lieutenant general (United States)
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.
A lieutenant general ranks above a major general and below a general. The pay grad ...
*
General officers in the United States
A general officer is an officer of high military rank; in the uniformed services of the United States, general officers are commissioned officers above the field officer ranks, the highest of which is colonel in the Army, Marine Corps, and Air ...
*
List of active duty United States four-star officers
There are currently 44 active-duty four-star officers in the uniformed services of the United States: 17 in the Army, three in the Marine Corps, eight in the Navy, 11 in the Air Force, two in the Space Force, two in the Coast Guard, and one ...
*
List of active duty United States three-star officers
There are currently 165 active-duty three-star officers in the uniformed services of the United States: 50 in the Army, 18 in the Marine Corps, 37 in the Navy, 48 in the Air Force, six in the Space Force, four in the Coast Guard, one in the Pu ...
*
List of United States Air Force four-star generals
This is a complete list of four-star generals in the United States Air Force. The rank of general (or ''full general'', or ''four-star general'') is the highest rank normally achievable in the U.S. Air Force. It ranks above lieutenant general ('' ...
*
*
List of United States Air Force lieutenant generals from 2000 to 2009
*
List of United States Air Force lieutenant generals since 2020
This is a list of lieutenant generals in the United States Air Force since 2020. 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 nu ...
*
List of United States Space Force lieutenant generals
This is a complete list of lieutenant generals in the United States Space Force. The rank of lieutenant general (or ''three-star general'') is the second-highest rank achievable in the U.S. Space Force, and the first to have a specific number o ...
*
List of United States military leaders by rank
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, ...
References
Notes
External links
*
*
*
{{United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...
United States Air Force generals
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
Generals
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 On ...
United States Air Force generals
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...