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Brigadier General Bobby J. Wilkes:Military Branch:United States Airforce | |
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Brig. Gen. Bobby J. Wilkes is Commander, 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. He is responsible for leading the efforts of two of Air Mobility Command's four air mobility groups, and their subordinate units, providing worldwide expeditionary mobility support. These units extend existing mobility infrastructure through both in-place employment and rapid forward deployment organizations tailored to meet our nation's global air mobility needs. General Wilkes was commissioned following graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1977. He has been an instructor pilot and flight examiner, served as a crisis action team member and executive assistant on the Joint Staff, and was the executive officer to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command. His commands include the 311th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Operations Group and the 355th Wing, one of the largest wings in the Air Force. Additionally, he was Director of Operations for Joint Task Force Southwest Asia. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, General Wilkes was Director of the Air Component Coordination Element, U.S. Central Command, and later served as Director of the Combined Air Operations Center. Prior to his current assignment, the general was Commander, College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education, Maxwell AFB, Ala. General Wilkes is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours, primarily in the T-38, A-10 and F-16 fighter aircraft. EDUCATION 1977 Bachelor of Science degree in history, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1982 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence 1984 Master of Science degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 1989 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 1990 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 1992 Air War College, by correspondence 1993 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 1993 Master of Science degree in public administration, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 2002 National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Administration, Syracuse University, N.Y. ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 1977 - July 1978, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas 2. July 1978 - November 1981, T-38 instructor pilot and wing flight examiner, 54th Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas 3. June 1982 - February 1984, A-10 flight commander, 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Bentwaters, England 4. February 1984 - August 1985, air liaison officer, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Bamberg Army Installation, West Germany 5. August 1985 - August 1988, F-16 flying safety officer, flight commander and wing executive officer, 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla. 6. August 1988 - June 1989, Chief of Wing Standardization and Evaluation Division, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 7. July 1989 - January 1990, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 8. January 1990 - July 1992, action officer, crisis action team member and executive assistant, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 9. August 1992 - August 1993, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 10. October 1993 - December 1994, operations officer, 307th Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. 11. December 1994 - October 1995, Commander, 311th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 12. October 1995 - June 1996, executive officer to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas 13. July 1996 - January 1998, Commander, 23rd Operations Group, Pope AFB, N.C. 14. January 1998 - April 1999, Director of Operations, Joint Task Force - Southwest Asia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 15. May 1999 - June 2001, Commander, 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. 16. July 2001 - April 2004, Commander, College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (January 2003 - August 2003, Director, Air Component Coordination Element, later, Director, Combined Air Operations Center, U.S. Central Command, Southwest Asia) 17. May 2004 - present, Commander, 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, McGuire AFB, N.J. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,800 hours Aircraft flown: T-38, C-130, A-10, F-16A/B/C/D and KC-10 MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Medal with oak leaf cluster Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal Air Force Achievement Medal Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal with bronze star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait) EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 1, 1977 First Lieutenant June 1, 1979 Captain June 1, 1981 Major July 1, 1988 Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1992 Colonel Dec. 1, 1997 Brigadier General July 1, 2004 |
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