Eugene Emil Habiger

General, U.S. Air Force

Eugene Emil Habiger was born on 11 June 1939 in Oakland, CA. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 1959 and served in the Infantry until May 1963; he later served in U.S. Army Reserve.

In June 1963, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and became a student at the Officer Training School at Lackland AFB. In September 1963 he was a distinguished graduate and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force.

He held a variety of staff and flying assignments including Survival Instructor, Intelligence Support Project Officer for Major Weapons Systems, Major Command Combat Operations Planner, Executive Officer and two Air Staff assignments. Flying assignments include Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, Operations Officer, Squadron Commander and Wing Commander in two bomb wings.

On 1 March 1996, Habiger was promoted to the rank of four-star General and assigned as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Strategic Command (USCINCSTRAT).

General Habiger retired from the Air Force in 1998. During his service, he became a Command Pilot with over 5,000 flying hours, primarily in bomber aircraft. During the Vietnam War, he flew 150 combat missions and participated in the B-52 Arc Light operations. The aircraft flown include the B-52, KC-135, EC-135, KC-10, C-7A and T-39.

Education

1963 Bachelor of Science degree, University of Georgia

1971 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

1974 Master of Science degree in Systems Management, George Washington University, Washington, DC

1975 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL

1982 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

1986 Executive Management Program, Penn State University

1988 Program for Senior Executives and National Security Management, Harvard University, Massachusetts

1989 Fellow, Seminar XXI Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Assignments

March 1959 - May 1963, enlisted, U.S. Army Infantry; later served in U.S. Army Reserve.

June 1963 - September 1963, student and distinguished graduate, Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, TX.

October 1963 - May 1964, student, Air Intelligence Officer Course, Lowry AFB, CO.

May 1964 - July 1965, Instructor, U.S. Air Force Survival School, Stead AFB, NV.

July 1965 - August 1966, student, pilot training, Williams AFB, AZ.

September 1966 - January 1967, student, B-52 combat crew training, Castle AFB, CA.

January 1967 - November 1970, B-52 pilot and Aircraft Commander, 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, MI.

October 1969 - April 1970, B-52 pilot, Arc Light operations in Southeast Asia.

November 1970 - January 1971, student, C-7A training, Dyess AFB, TX.

January 1971 - September 1971, C-7A pilot and Instructor Pilot, 457th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 483rd Airlift Wing, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam.

September 1971 - August 1974, Intelligence Support Project Officer for F-15 and A-10 weapons systems and the Airborne Warning and Control System, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, VA.

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

June 1975 - September 1977, Operations Officer, 644th Bombardment Squadron, 410th Bombardment Wing, K.I. Sawyer AFB, MI.

September 1977 - January 1980, Combat Operations Planner, later Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Plans, and the Deputy Director for the Single Integrated Operational Plan, Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, NE.

January 1980 - July 1981, Commander, 325th Bombardment Squadron, later Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations, 92nd Bombardment Wing, both at Fairchild AFB, WA.

July 1981 - June 1982, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC.

June 1982 - April 1983, Chief, Strategic Offensive Forces Division, Deputy Directorate for Force Development, Directorate of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

April 1983 - October 1983, Deputy Assistant Director for Joint and National Security Council Matters, Directorate of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

October 1983 - August 1984, Executive Officer to the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

August 1984 - March 1985, Vice Commander, 5th Bombardment Wing, Minot AFB, ND.

March 1985 - January 1986, Commander, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, MI.

January 1986 - January 1987, Commander, 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA.

January 1987 - January 1988, Inspector General, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, NE.

January 1988 - September 1991, Deputy Director, later Director, Programs and Evaluation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC. During this assignment, he was also the chairman of the Program Review Committee and the Air Force Board.

August 1991 - April 1995, Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, TX.

April 1995 - February 1996, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

&February 1996 - 1998, Commander in Chief, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE.

Promotion Dates

Second Lieutenant - 24 September 1963

First Lieutenant - 24 March 1965

Captain - 1 April 1967

Major - 1 June 1974

Lieutenant Colonel - 1 April 1979

Colonel - 1 July 1981

Brigadier General - 1 May 1988

Major General - 1 December 1990

Lieutenant General - 26 March 1993

General - 1 March 1996

Medals and Awards

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

Legion of Merit (2 Awards)

Distinguished Flying Cross

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal (2 Awards)

Air Medal (4 Awards)

Air Force Commendation Medal (2 Awards)

Humanitarian Service Medal

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

Badges

Command Pilot Badge