Biography

Retired December 1, 2018

Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets IV is Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic – Air, U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence, global strike and combat support to USSTRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands.

The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two numbered air forces; 11 active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve wings, the Joint Global Strike Operations Center and the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all U.S. Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and bomber aircraft, UH-1N helicopters, E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft and the U.S. Air Force NC3 weapons system.

General Tibbets received his commission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989. Following graduation, he served in a variety of operational assignments as a B-1 pilot and subsequently as a B-2 pilot. The general has commanded at the squadron and wing levels, and flew combat missions in support of operations in Southwest Asia, the Balkans and Afghanistan. His staff assignments include Executive Officer to the Commander, Eighth Air Force, Chief of the Nuclear and CBRN Defense Policy Branch at NATO Headquarters, Deputy Director of Operations for Air Force Global Strike Command, and Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations at U.S. Strategic Command.

Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

General Tibbets is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours.

EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Psychology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Master of Science, Engineering Psychology, University of Idaho, Moscow
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence.
2003 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport Naval Station, R.I.
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence.
2009 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2010 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
2010 Executive Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2012 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, Va.
2015 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2016 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1989 – September 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. September 1990 – April 1991, Student, B-1 Combat Crew Training, Dyess AFB, Texas.
3. April 1991 – July 1995, B-1 Pilot, Safety Officer, Flight Scheduler, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
4. August 1995 – November 1995, Student, T-38 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas.
5. November 1995 – March 1997, T-38 Instructor Pilot, 393rd Bomb Squadron/394th Combat Training Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
6. March 1997 – September 1997, Student, B-2 Initial Qualification Training, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
7. September 1997 – August 1999, B-2 Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner and Chief, B-2/T-38 Standardization and Evaluation, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
8. September 1999 – April 2000, Deputy Chief, Wing Standardization and Evaluation, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
9. April 2000 – April 2002, Executive Officer for Eighth Air Force Commander, Barksdale AFB, La.
10. April 2002 – June 2003, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport Naval Station, R.I.
11. July 2003 – May 2004, Assistant Director of Operations, B-2/T-38 Flight Examiner, 325th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
12. June 2004 – June 2005, Director of Operations, 325th/13th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
13. June 2005 – April 2006, Director of Staff, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
14. April 2006 – October 2007, Commander, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
15. October 2007 – August 2009, Chief, Nuclear and CBRN Defense Policy Branch, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
16. August 2009 – February 2010, Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy.
17. June 2010 – July 2011, Vice Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia.
18. July 2011 – July 2013, Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
19. July 2013 – February 2014, Deputy Director of Operations, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
20. February 2014 – May 2015, Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
21. June 2015 – July 2017, Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
22. July 2017 – September 2017, Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
23. September 2017 – present, Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic – Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale AFB, La.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2007 – August 2009, Chief, Nuclear and CBRN Defense Policy Branch, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel
2. February 2014 – May 2015, Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as a brigadier general
3. September 2017 – present, Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic – Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale AFB, La., as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000 hours, including 350 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-38A, B-1B, B-2A, B-52H

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with ‘N’ Device and three oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major August 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2004
Colonel September 1, 2008
Brigadier General August 8, 2014
(Current as of 29 November 2018)