Bruce A. Carlson
Encyclopedia
Bruce Allen Carlson is the current Director, National Reconnaissance Office
. He was a former four-star general
in the United States Air Force
and served as the sixth Commander, Air Force Materiel Command
, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. He retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2009 after over 37 years of service. In April 2009, Carlson was called as a general authority
and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
. He was commissioned in 1971 after completing the University of Minnesota Duluth
's Air Force ROTC program as a distinguished graduate. He has held various assignments in flying units. Staff assignments have included positions at Tactical Air Command
, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of Defense, and as the Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment with the Joint Staff. Additionally, he commanded the Air Force's 49th Fighter Wing
at Holloman AFB, New Mexico Prior to assuming his current position, Carlson served as the Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
Carlson is experienced in multiple aircraft weapons systems, is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, and has combat experience in the OV-10.
In April 2009 Carlson was called as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In June 2009 he was appointed as President Obama's Director of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office
, an agency that operates the Nation's reconnaissance satellites.
National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:...
. He was a former four-star general
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and served as the sixth Commander, Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....
, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. He retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2009 after over 37 years of service. In April 2009, Carlson was called as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Biography
Carlson was born in Hibbing, MinnesotaHibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...
. He was commissioned in 1971 after completing the University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
's Air Force ROTC program as a distinguished graduate. He has held various assignments in flying units. Staff assignments have included positions at Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of Defense, and as the Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment with the Joint Staff. Additionally, he commanded the Air Force's 49th Fighter Wing
49th Fighter Wing
The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
at Holloman AFB, New Mexico Prior to assuming his current position, Carlson served as the Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
Carlson is experienced in multiple aircraft weapons systems, is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, and has combat experience in the OV-10.
In April 2009 Carlson was called as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In June 2009 he was appointed as President Obama's Director of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office
National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:...
, an agency that operates the Nation's reconnaissance satellites.
Church service
Prior to his call as a general authority in April 2009, Carlson served as elders quorum president, bishop, high councilor, and as an adviser to the Church’s Military Advisory Committee.Education
- 1971 Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Minnesota DuluthUniversity of Minnesota DuluthThe University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
- 1979 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
- 1980 Master of Arts degree, Webster UniversityWebster UniversityWebster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
, St. Louis, Missouri - 1989 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
Assignments
- June 1971 - May 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
- June 1972 - April 1973, student, F-4 Replacement Training Unit, Homestead AFB, Florida
- May 1973 - December 1974, F-4 pilot, 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
- December 1974 - October 1975, OV-10 forward air controller and instructor pilot, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force BaseNakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force BaseNakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base , formerly Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, is a Royal Thai Navy facility used for riverine patrols along the Mekong River. It is located approximately 365 miles northeast of Bangkok, 9 miles west of Nakhon Phanom city in Nakhon Phanom Province in the...
, Thailand - October 1975 - November 1977, OV-10 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
- December 1977 - April 1980, A-10 pilot and fighter weapons instructor pilot, 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina
- May 1980 - September 1982, aide to the Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, Langley AFB, Virginia - October 1982 - June 1985, wing weapons officer, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, and operations officer, 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
- July 1985 - June 1988, tactical systems requirements officer, Office of Low Observables Technology, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- July 1988 - June 1989, graduate student, Naval War CollegeNaval War CollegeThe Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
, Newport, R.I. - July 1989 - June 1991, Director of Advanced Programs, Headquarters TAC, Langley AFB, Virginia
- July 1991 - June 1993, Vice Commander, 366th Wing366th Fighter WingThe 366th Fighter Wing is a Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho...
, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho - July 1993 - February 1995, senior military assistant to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, and senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
- February 1995 - November 1996, Commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
- November 1996 - June 1998, Director of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- June 1998 - December 1999, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- January 2000 - May 2002, Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J-8), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
- May 2002 - April 2005, Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
- April 2005 - August 2005, Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
- August 2005 - January 2009, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFMC, Ohio
Flight information
- Rating: Command pilot
- Flight hours: More than 3,000
- Aircraft flown: F-4, OV-10, A-10, F-16, F-111, EF-111, AT-38, F-117 and B-52
Major awards and decoration
His awards include:| Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Distinguished Service Medal The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States... with oak leaf cluster Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration... |
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| Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force... with oak leaf cluster |
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Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... |
| Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United States) The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969... with two oak leaf clusters |
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| Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters |
Promotion dates
- Second Lieutenant: June 12, 1971
- First Lieutenant: December 12, 1972
- Captain: June 12, 1975
- Major: November 1, 1982
- Lieutenant Colonel: March 1, 1985
- Colonel: February 1, 1991
- Brigadier General: January 1, 1996
- Major General: September 1, 1998
- Lieutenant General: February 1, 2000
- General: September 1, 2005
External links
- Official biography, U.S. Air Force
- “Elder Bruce A. Carlson,” LiahonaLiahona (magazine)Liahona is the official international magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is named after the word Liahona from the Book of Mormon. The Liahona is published in 51 different languages from one to twelve times per year depending on the language...
, May 2009, p. 138 - "New leadership changes", Deseret News, 2009-04-05
- "General Authorities: Elder Bruce A. Carlson", lds.org (official biography, LDS Church)