Brig. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton is director of politico-military affairs, Asia-Pacific
and Middle East, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. He is responsible for regional planning and policy, the implementation of national security strategy for 79 countries, and for supporting three commanders in chief and both major theaters of war on which our national military strategy is based. Additionally, he is of Staff, the Secretary of Defense and the National Command Authorities.

The general is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1976. A Guggenheim fellow, he completed a master of science degree in mechanical engineering at Columbia University before entering flight school in 1977. He flew operational assignments in the RF-4C and F-15 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Upon graduation from the USAF Test Pilot School, he conducted weapons testing in all models of the F-4 and F-15 while serving as chief of flight test and operations at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in
1987. As an astronaut, he piloted the space shuttle Endeavor on STS-49 in1992 and STS-59 in 1994, and commanded the space shuttle Atlantis on STS-76 in 1996. From 1996 to 1998 he served as the deputy program manager of operations for the International Space Station Program. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. The general is a command astronaut pilot with more than 5,000 hours of flight time.
 

EDUCATION:
 

1976 Distinguished graduate, bachelor of science degree in engineering science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs,
Colo.
1977 Master of science degree in mechanical engineering, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
1982 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1984 Distinguished graduate, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

ASSIGNMENTS:
 

1. May 1977 - May 1978, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. May 1978 - August 1978, student, RF-4C Replacement Training Unit, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
3. August 1978 - November 1980, RF-4C pilot and instructor pilot, 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Kadena Air
Base, Japan
4. November 1980 - August 1982, F-15C pilot, 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
5. August 1982 - October 1982, student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
6. October 1982 - December 1983, F-15A pilot, instructor pilot and flight commander, 9th and 7th tactical fighter squadrons,
Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
7. January 1984 - December 1984, student, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
8. January 1985 - August 1987, test pilot and operations officer 3247th Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
9. August 1987 - August 1988, astronaut candidate, NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
10. August 1988 - May 1996, astronaut, NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
11. May 1996 - August 1998, deputy program manager of operations, International Space Station Program, NASA, Johnson
Space Center, Houston, Texas
12. August 1998 - May 1999, deputy director of operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force
Base, Colo.
13. May 1999 - September 2000, commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
14. October 2000 - present, director of politico-military affairs, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, the Joint Staff, Washington,
D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command astronaut pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,000
Aircraft flown: F-4C/D/E, F-15, OV-104A and OV-105A (space shuttles Atlantis and Endeavor), RF-4C, T-38, U-2 and
VC-11

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
NASA Space Flight Medal with two oak leaf clusters
NASA Exceptional Service Medal
NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

Guggenheim Fellowship
Commander's Trophy, undergraduate pilot training
1982 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
1984 Liethen-Tittle Award for top graduate, USAF Test Pilot School

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant Jun 2, 1976
First Lieutenant Jun 2, 1978
Captain Jun 2, 1980
Major May 2, 1985
Lieutenant Colonel Jun 2, 1989
Colonel Jan 1, 1993
Brigadier General May 1, 1999

(Current as of December 2000)

(B/Gen. Charles Simpson relinquished command of the 9 RW to Brig. Gen Kevin Chilton at the Beale AFB flight line on Wednesday 2 June 1999. B/Gen. Chilton is a Air Force Academy graduate, with 5,000 hours of flight time in RF-4C and F-15, and has 3 Space Shuttle missions. B/Gen. Chilton's previous coomand was Deputy Director of Operations at the Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO. B/Gen. Simpson leaves to command of Air Force units based at Prince Sultan AB, Saudia Arabia. B/Gen. Simpsons spearheaded many changes and upgrades to Beale AFB, and the U-2 during his tenure are: a new glass cockpit design for the U-2 and a Collier Trophy, a modernization program at Beale totaling $45 million. Brig. Gen. Simpson took command of the 9 RW on 18 April 1997. Good Luck to Brig. Gen. Simpson in his new command. -High Flyer 28 May 1999)