Years of service 1976–2012 Role Commanding officer | Name Gary North Rank General | |
 | ||
Allegiance United States of America Battles/wars Operation Southern Watch
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Desert Shield
Operation Desert Storm Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (2) Battles and wars Operation Southern Watch, Iraq War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Gulf War Commands held Pacific Air Forces, Ninth Air Force | ||
Education East Carolina University Service/branch United States Air Force | ||
Gary Lewis North, is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander, Pacific Air Forces and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii from August 19, 2009 to August 9, 2012. Pacific Air Forces is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports 45,000 Airmen serving principally in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Korea and Japan.
Contents
- Education
- Assignments
- Summary of Joint Assignments
- Flight Information
- Major Awards and Decorations
- Promotion Dates
- References
General North was commissioned in 1976 as a distinguished graduate from East Carolina University's Air Force ROTC program. He has held numerous operational, command and staff positions, and has completed four long and four short overseas tours. The general has served two tours on the Joint Staff, serving as executive officer to the Director of the Joint Staff, and as Director of Politico-Military Affairs for Asia-Pacific, where he was responsible for regional planning and policy for the Asia-Pacific, South Asia and Central Asia regions. He has served on the Air Force Staff as the Chief, Joint Requirements Division and Deputy Director of Joint Matters, and as the Director for Operations, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. Prior to his current assignment, General North was the Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., comprising six wings in the 9th AF and eight air expeditionary wings in Air Forces Central, and served as the U.S. Central Command Combined Forces Air Component Commander and service functional Air Component Commander for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
General North has also commanded the 33rd Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.; 35th Operations Group at Misawa Air Base, Japan; 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea; and the 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan. He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, primarily in the F-4, F-15 and F-16. He flew 83 combat missions in Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Education
Assignments
- September 1976 - May 1977, student, undergraduate navigator training, Mather AFB, Calif.
- May 1977 - October 1978, student, Electronic Warfare Officer School, Mather AFB, Calif.
- January 1978 - June 1978, student, F-4E upgrade training, Homestead AFB, Fla.
- July 1978 - July 1979, weapons systems officer, 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, South Korea
- August 1979 - September 1980, F-4G Wild Weasel electronic warfare officer, 561st and 563rd tactical fighter squadrons, George AFB, Calif.
- September 1980 - September 1981, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
- September 1981 - September 1982, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M., and F-16 transition, Hill AFB, Utah
- September 1982 - April 1985, squadron scheduler and squadron weapons officer, 19th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
- April 1985 - August 1985, student pilot, U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
- August 1985 - June 1986, wing weapons officer, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
- June 1986 - June 1987, F-16 weapons officer and flight commander, 526th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ramstein AB, West Germany
- June 1987 - June 1989, aide-de-camp and F-16 instructor pilot to the Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, West Germany
- July 1989 - January 1990, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
- March 1990 - July 1993, assistant operations officer, 19th Tactical Fighter Squadron; wing Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and Chief of Wing Weapons and Safety, Operation Desert Storm, 363rd Fighter Wing; and Commander, 33d Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
- August 1993 - June 1994, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
- July 1994 - August 1996, Commander, 35th Operations Group, Misawa AB, Japan
- August 1996 - August 1997, Chief, Joint Requirements Division and Deputy Director of Joint Matters, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- August 1997 - May 1999, executive assistant to the Director, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
- May 1999 - May 2000, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
- August 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
- April 2002 - June 2004, Deputy Director of Politico-Military Affairs for Asia-Pacific, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- July 2004 - January 2006, Director for Operations, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
- February 2006 - August 2009, Commander, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central, Shaw AFB, S.C.
- August 2009 – August 2012, Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander for U.S. Pacific Command; and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Summary of Joint Assignments
- August 1990 - August 1992, Desert Shield/Desert Storm Planner, Joint Credit, as a lieutenant colonel
- September 1997 - May 1999, Executive Officer to the Director, Joint Staff, as a colonel
- April 2002 - June 2004, Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs for Asia-Pacific (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a brigadier general
- July 2004 - January 2006, Director of Operations (J3) US Pacific Command, as a major general