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First Name: Howell

Last Name: Estes

Birthplace: San Antonio, TX, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Air Force (1947 - present)



Middle Name: M.



Date of Birth: 16 December 1941



Rank: General

Years Served:
Howell M. Estes III

   
Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1965

Engagements:
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)

Biography:

Howell M. Estes III

General, U.S. Air Force

Howell M. Estes III was born on 16 December 1941 in San Antonio, TX.

Estes graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1965. He has commanded both operational and maintenance squadrons, the Air Force's only stealth fighter unit, an air division and numbered air force.

During the Gulf War, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Strategic Air Command. From October 1994 to August 1996, he served as Director for Operations (J-3), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, DC.

On 1 October 1996, Estes was promoted to the rank of four-star General and assigned as Commander-in-Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command (CINCNORAD); Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Space Command (USCINCSPACE); and Commander, Air Force Space Command (COMAFSPC).

General Estes retired on 1 October 1998. During his service, he became a Command Pilot with over 4,500 flying hours; he also flew 169 combat missions as an F-4 pilot during the Vietnam War. The aircraft flown include the A-7, F-4, F-16, F-117 and EC-135.

General Estes co-authored "Strategic and Doctrinal Implications of Deep Attack," the concept of operations for the Defense of Central Europe.

Education

1965 Bachelor of Science degree in Military Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

1975 Master of Arts degree in Public Administration, Auburn University, AL

1975 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL

1983 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC.

Assignments

June 1965 - November 1966, student, undergraduate pilot training program, Moody AFB, GA.

November 1966 - April 1967, student, F-4 qualification training, MacDill AFB, FL.

April 1967 - May 1969, F-4D pilot, 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.

May 1969 - May 1970, F-4E Commander, 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

May 1970 - April 1972, F-4E pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation, 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Camp New Amsterdam (now Soesterberg Air Base), Netherlands.

May 1972 - July 1973, Weapons Tactics Staff Officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Lindsey Air Station, West Germany.

July 1973 - August 1974, Command Briefing Officer, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany.

August 1974 - August 1975, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL.

August 1975 - January 1979, Air Operations Staff Officer, Europe-NATO Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

February 1979 - August 1982, Commander, 20th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron; then Commander, 35th Equipment Maintenance Squadron; then Assistant Deputy Commander and later Deputy Commander for Maintenance; 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, George AFB, CA.

August 1982 - July 1983, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington.

July 1983 - June 1984, Deputy Assistant Director for Joint and National Security Council matters, Directorate of Plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

June 1984 - January 1986, Commander, 4450th Tactical Group, Nellis AFB, NV.

January 1986 - June 1987, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Brussels, Belgium.

June 1987 - August 1988, Commander, 14th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, Beale AFB, CA.

August 1988 - July 1991, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs; Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Resources; then Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, NE.

July 1991 - August 1992, Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

August 1992 - October 1994, Commander, 7th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, Republic of Korea and U.S. Combined Forces Command; Commander, U.S. Air Forces Korea; and Deputy Commander in Chief, United Nations Command, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

October 1994 - August 1996, Director for Operations (J-3), the Joint Staff, Washington.

August 1996 - 1998, Commander in Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command, and Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO.

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit

Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Badges

• Command Pilot Badge

• Master Space and Missileman Badge



Honoree ID: 713   Created by: MHOH

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