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Major General Paul W. "Bill" Essex:Military Branch:United States Airforce | |
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Selected for reassignment as Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Dallas, Texas. Maj. Gen. Paul W. "Bill" Essex is Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Essex is responsible for force structure planning and programming, doctrine, requirements, manpower and analysis for the nations airlift and refueling force. General Essex entered the Air Force in 1973 as a distinguished graduate of Miami University's ROTC program. He is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in various models of the KC-135 and EC-135. His operational experience includes command of a squadron, an operations group and two wings. General Essex led unit deployments for operations Restore Hope and Southern Watch, served as installation commander in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and participated in Operation Deny Flight. He has twice served on the Headquarters Air Mobility Command staff, first as Deputy Director of Operations, and later as Deputy Director of Plans. He also served as Deputy Director of NATO's Reaction Force Air Staff in Kalkar, Germany. Prior to assuming his current position, General Essex was the Mission Area Director for Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. EDUCATION 1973 Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology and physiology, Miami University 1979 Master's degree in business management, Central Michigan University 1979 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1985 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1990 Master's degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 1996 Advanced Management Program, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1999 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2000 Russian-U.S. Executive Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1973 - October 1974, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla. 2. April 1975 - April 1980, KC-135A co-pilot, aircraft commander and instructor pilot, 911th Air Refueling Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 3. April 1980 - December 1982, KC-135 and EC-135 flight examiner, training flight instructor and special operations program manager, 305th and 70th air refueling squadrons, Grissom AFB, Ind. 4. January 1983 - August 1984, aide to the Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La. 5. August 1984 - June 1985, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 6. July 1985 - November 1987, Deputy Chief, Programs Development Division, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. 7. November 1987 - July 1989, Commander, 92nd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash. 8. August 1989 - June 1990, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 9. June 1990 - April 1992, professor, joint military operations and head of the Strategy and Operations Division, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 10. April 1992 - July 1993, Commander, 453rd Operations Group, Fairchild AFB, Wash. 11. July 1993 - March 1994, Assistant Director of Operations and Transportation, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill. 12. March 1994 - December 1995, Commander, 19th Air Refueling Wing, Robins AFB, Ga. 13. December 1995 - November 1996, Deputy Director of Plans, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill. 14. November 1996 - November 1998, Commander, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash. 15. November 1998 - April 2000, Deputy Director, NATO's Reaction Force Air Staff, Kalkar, Germany 16. April 2000 - February 2003, Mission Area Director, Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 17. February 2003 - present, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,500 Aircraft flown; T-37, T-38, KC-135A/R/T and EC-135L/G MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Navy Commendation Medal EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 10, 1973 First Lieutenant Sept. 24, 1975 Captain Sept. 24, 1977 Major Aug. 1, 1984 Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 1987 Colonel Jan. 1, 1992 Brigadier General Oct. 15, 1997 Major General Oct. 1, 2000 |
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