New AFSOC Commander Announced.

DA SWO

SOWT
Verified SOF
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
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Location
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Drum roll please:

The new Cdr had three years as a jet mechanic, Holloman AFB in yucksville,
ROTC at University of Arkansas, earning DG, and (Gasp,Gasp) he's a Master Navigator.

Hoe he isn't an arrogant politician like the last guy.

http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographi...75/lieutenant-general-bradley-a-heithold.aspx

Lt. Gen. Bradley A. Heithold is Vice Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, Washington, D.C. General Heithold is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing actions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Services and other government agencies in the National Capital Region on behalf of the Commander USSOCOM.

General Heithold enlisted in the Air Force in 1974 and spent three years at Holloman AFB, N.M., as an F-4D avionics technician. He was commissioned in 1981 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Arkansas. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and agency levels, including the 451st Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia. His staff assignments include positions on the Air Staff and a unified command staff. Prior to his current assignment, he was Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

General Heithold is a master navigator with more than 3,400 flight hours in the C-130, AC-130H and MC-130P.


EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor's degree in physics, University of Arkansas
1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1991 Master of Public Administration degree, Troy State University, Ala.
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Air War College, by correspondence
1998 National Defense Fellow, Florida International University, Miami
1999 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2005 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, San Diego, Calif.
2005 Systems Acquisition Management Course for Flag Officers, Defense Acquisitions University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2008 Complex Business Problems, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2010 Executive Leadership Seminar, Center for Executive Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2010 Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1981 - April 1982, student, undergraduate navigator training, Mather AFB, Calif.
2. April 1982 - December 1985, navigator and instructor navigator, 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. January 1986 - March 1986, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
4. March 1986 - June 1989, navigator, instructor navigator and evaluator navigator, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. June 1989 - September 1990, chief navigator, AC-130 Standardization and Evaluation, 23rd Air Force and, later, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. September 1990 - December 1991, Chief, AC-130 Programs and Acquisitions, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. December 1991 - July 1992, analyst, Mobility and Special Operations Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. July 1992 - August 1994, evaluator, Special Operations Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. August 1994 - June 1995, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 1995 - August 1997, Director of Operations, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. August 1997 - August 1998, Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. August 1998 - June 1999, National Defense Fellow, Florida International University, Miami
13. June 1999 - May 2001, Chief, Program Strategy Division, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. May 2001 - May 2002, Commander, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
15. May 2002 - April 2003, Director, Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. April 2003 - May 2005, Commander, 347th Rescue Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (September 2004 - January 2005, Commander, 451st Air Expeditionary Group, Southwest Asia)
17. May 2005 - June 2007, Vice Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. June 2007 - February 2009, Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements andAssessments, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
19. February 2009 - July 2011, Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
20. July 2011 - present, Vice Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, Washington, D.C.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 1999 - May 2001, Chief, Program Strategy Division, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
July 2011 - present, Vice Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master navigator
Flight hours: More than 3,400
Aircraft flown: C-130, AC-130H and MC-130P

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1981
First Lieutenant Aug. 5, 1983
Captain Aug. 5, 1985
Major May 1, 1993
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1997
Colonel April 1, 2000
Brigadier General Sept. 2, 2006
Major General Dec. 9, 2008
Lieutenant General July 19, 2011

(Current as of January 2013)
 
He ran the 451st when I was down there and I don't remember a thing about him.

Dumb AF question: Is a one year tour as a Squadron CC common?
 
No most Sq CC do a 2 year tour unless they run a unit down range then its a 1 year tour.
 
He ran the 451st when I was down there and I don't remember a thing about him.

Dumb AF question: Is a one year tour as a Squadron CC common?

I think it depends where your at maybe? So far at Cannon I've had a new one every summer, so one year tours.
 
He ran the 451st when I was down there and I don't remember a thing about him.

Dumb AF question: Is a one year tour as a Squadron CC common?

How many Army Commanders stay in Afghanistan for more then a year?

Overseas "Expeditionary" units swap Commander's every 6-12 months.
6 month swap outs can be a good thing as the incoming Boss is less likely to institute buffoonery and more focused on flying.
 
Downrange the commanders are doing one year tours (this started in...2009 I believe at the Squadron and Group level. Prior to that the command of an expeditionary unit at Group or lower was done with an AEF rotation). Army commanders are typically around for 2 years, with one of that spent deployed to various sunny climates.

Looking at his bio though, he commanded 16th SOS for one year in the late 90's, hence my question. I've seen the deployed Air Force, but thought this wasn't the norm.
 
Downrange the commanders are doing one year tours (this started in...2009 I believe at the Squadron and Group level. Prior to that the command of an expeditionary unit at Group or lower was done with an AEF rotation). Army commanders are typically around for 2 years, with one of that spent deployed to various sunny climates.

Looking at his bio though, he commanded 16th SOS for one year in the late 90's, hence my question. I've seen the deployed Air Force, but thought this wasn't the norm.
He was the DO for the two previous years, and left for a national Defense University fellowship.
He was already being groomed for success.
 
There has never been a former ground STS guy as AFSOC commander, correct? I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a CCT commander yet.
 
There has never been a former ground STS guy as AFSOC commander, correct? I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a CCT commander yet.

@SOWT and others will probably correct me, but the STS guys used to cap at O-6 except in rare cases. I think they have positions to the 1-star level, but AFSOC is run by a 3-star. HQAF would give that job to a fighter jock if they could.* A CRO or CCT Officer has a better shot at becoming an astronaut than running AFSOC.

* - I want to say they did this once or twice.
 
@SOWT and others will probably correct me, but the STS guys used to cap at O-6 except in rare cases. I think they have positions to the 1-star level, but AFSOC is run by a 3-star. HQAF would give that job to a fighter jock if they could.* A CRO or CCT Officer has a better shot at becoming an astronaut than running AFSOC.

* - I want to say they did this once or twice.
Having a STO run AFSOC would not end well.

They understand Airfield Ops, but generally do not understand aviation.
A CRO would do a better job (IMO).
 
Having a STO run AFSOC would not end well.

They understand Airfield Ops, but generally do not understand aviation.

First order of busniess.....clean up the hangars....out with those peski aircraft pieces......

In with tanning beds and hair care product vending machines ......O_o:-o:thumbsup:
 
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