Paul V. Hester

General, U.S. Air Force

Paul V. Hester was born on 21 October 1947.

Hester was commissioned through the AFROTC program at the University of Mississippi. He entered the Air Force with a commission as a Second Lieutenant in January 1971 and earned his wings in December 1971 at Columbus AFB, MS. A command pilot and combat veteran, he has more than 200 combat hours in Southeast Asia and has accumulated more than 2,900 flight hours during his career. Additionally, he has served as an instructor in the A-7, F-4 and F-15 in operational and training units.

Hester has commanded the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's famed "Hat in the Ring Gang," 18th Operations Group, 35th Fighter Wing, 53rd Wing and U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force at Yokota AB. He was also Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL.

General Hester's staff tours include duty in the Directorate of Plans, as a member of the Commander's Action Group at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Chief of the Air Force's Legislative Liaison Office at the U.S. House of Representatives, Division Chief in J-5 of the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Director of Air Force Legislative Liaison for the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Most recently he was the Air Component Commander and force provider to Joint Task Force-536 during Operation Unified Assistance in support of the South Asia tsunami relief effort.

On 1 August 2004, Hester was promoted to the four-star rank of General and assigned as Commander, Pacific Air Forces (COMPACAF).

General Hester retired from the Air Force on 1 January 2008.

Education

1969 Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accountancy, University of Mississippi

1970 Master of Business Administration degree in Accountancy, University of Mississippi

1974 Squadron Officer School

1979 Air Command and Staff College

1980 Master's degree in Military Arts and Science, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS

1990 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

1992 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

1993 Senior Defense Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

1999 Executive Program for General Officers of the Russian Federation and the U.S., John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Assignments

• January 1971 - December 1971, student, pilot training, Columbus AFB, MS.
• January 1972 - December 1972, A-7D pilot, 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
• January 1973 - July 1973, A-7D Aircraft Commander, 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.
• August 1973 - August 1974, A-7D Aircraft Commander, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
• September 1974 - December 1976, Aide-de-Camp and F-4 Instructor, later, F-15 Instructor, 311th, 555th and 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons, Luke AFB, AZ.
• January 1977 - June 1979, F-15 Instructor and flight examiner, 525th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany.
• July 1979 - July 1980, student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS.
• August 1980 - August 1983, Action Officer, Forces Division, Directorate of Plans, later, member, Commander's Action Group, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, VA.
• September 1983 - November 1986, F-15 Instructor and Assistant Operations officer, 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, Operations Officer and Commander, 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB.
• December 1986 - July 1989, Chief, Legislative Liaison Office, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Legislative Liaison, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.
• August 1989 - June 1990, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington.
• July 1990 - July 1992, Vice Commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, later, Commander, 18th Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan.
• August 1992 - June 1993, Senior Defense Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
• July 1993 - July 1994, Chief, Weapons Technology Control Division, J-5, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington.
• August 1994 - November 1995, Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the Committee on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Vienna, Austria.
• November 1995 - February 1997, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan.
• February 1997 - December 1997, Commander, 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, FL.
• December 1997 - August 1999, Director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington.
• September 1999 - November 2001, Commander, U.S. Forces Japan, and Commander, 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan.
• January 2002 - July 2004, Commander, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, FL.
• July 2004 - November 2007, Commander, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Component Commander for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Hickam AFB, HI.

Promotion Dates

Second Lieutenant - 31 May 1970

First Lieutenant - 3 June 1972

Captain - 3 December 1974

Major - 1 September 1979

Lieutenant Colonel - 1 March 1984

Colonel - 1 June 1988

Brigadier General - 15 July 1994

Major General - 20 March 1998

Lieutenant General - 15 November 1999

General - 1 August 2004

Flight Information

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: Over 2,900

Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, T-33, A-7, F-4, F-15, F-16 and MC-130

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards)

Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit (3 Awards)

Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards)

Air Medal (5 Awards)

Air Force Commendation Medal

Combat Readiness Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Japanese Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasures

Badges

Command Pilot Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

Honors

Kappa Sigma Man of the Year - 2002

In 2004 he was inducted into the Order of the Sword (U.S. Air Force)