Years of service 1984 to present Name Steven Cray | ||
 | ||
Awards Legion of MeritMeritorious Service MedalAerial Achievement MedalAir Force Commendation Medal | ||
Allegiance United States of America | ||
Major General Steven A. Cray (born June 15, 1964) is the Adjutant General of Vermont. In this post he serves as the senior uniformed officer in the state, and is responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. As Adjutant General, he also serves as inspector general, quartermaster general and head of the State Military Department, including Veterans Affairs.
Contents
- Early life
- Military career
- Election as Adjutant General
- Reelection as Adjutant General
- Civilian career
- Education
- Assignments
- Flight Information
- References
Early life
Steven A. Cray was born in Burlington, Vermont on June 15, 1964. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.
Military career
General Cray enlisted in the Vermont Air National Guard while a student at UVM. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant after graduating from the Academy of Military Science in 1984.
He became a pilot and attained the rating of command pilot, logging over 2,500 hours of military flying, mostly in the F-16. He is a qualified Joint Task Force Commander. General Cray held a variety of command, supervisory and staff positions in the 158th Fighter Wing and Vermont Joint Force Headquarters. Prior to his appointment as Adjutant General he served as Assistant Adjutant General for Air.
Election as Adjutant General
In 2012 Michael Dubie left the Adjutant General's position to become Deputy Commander of United States Northern Command. He was succeeded on an interim basis by Thomas E. Drew.
In February, 2013 Cray defeated three other candidates in the Vermont General Assembly election for the position. (In Vermont, the Adjutant General is elected for a two-year term in secret balloting by a combined meeting of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont State Senate in February of each odd-numbered year.)
Cray was promoted to Major General and took over from Drew in a ceremony on March 1, 2013, and Drew retired.
Reelection as Adjutant General
On February 19, 2015 the Vermont General Assembly reelected Cray to a two-year term. He was unopposed, and won by unanimous voice vote.
Civilian career
Before becoming Adjutant General, General Cray was employed as a commercial airline pilot with American Airlines, and logged over 10,000 flight hours. He also served as President of the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation and on other civic and charitable boards and commissions.
Education
Assignments
- January 1985 - February 1986, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
- March 1986 - April 1986, Student, AT-38, Fighter Lead-In Training, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
- April 1986 - November 1986, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
- November 1986 - January 1989, Assistant Standards and Evaluation Officer, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
- January 1989 - July 1992, Safety Officer/Flight Lead, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
- July 1992 - April 1994, Instructor Pilot, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
- April 1994 - August 1997, Supervisor of flying/Flight Commander F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
- August 1997 - September 2002, Standards and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
- September 2002 - May 2004, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
- May 2004 - May 2006, Director of Plans and Programs, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
- May 2006 - April 2009, Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
- April 2009 – March 2013, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Vermont National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
- March 2013 – Present, The Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Colchester, Vermont
Flight Information
General Cray holds the rating of Command Pilot. He has flown more than 2,500 hours. The aircraft he has flown include the F-16A/B/C/D, AT-38, T-38, and T-37.