Eugene E. Habiger
Encyclopedia
Eugene Emil Habiger is a retired United States Air Force
four star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Strategic Command
(USCINCSTRAT) from 1996 to 1998. After retiring from the military on August 1, 1998, he served as Director of Security and Emergency Operations, U.S. Department of Energy, from 1999 to 2001.
Habiger completed Officer Training School in September 1963 as a distinguished graduate. He has held a variety of staff and flying assignments including survival instructor, intelligence support project officer for major weapons systems, major command combat operations planner, executive officer and two Air Staff assignments. Flying assignments include aircraft commander, instructor pilot, operations officer, squadron commander and wing commander in two bomb wings. He is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, primarily in bomber aircraft. During the Vietnam War, he flew 150 combat missions and participated in the B-52 Arc Light operations
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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...
four star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally...
(USCINCSTRAT) from 1996 to 1998. After retiring from the military on August 1, 1998, he served as Director of Security and Emergency Operations, U.S. Department of Energy, from 1999 to 2001.
Habiger completed Officer Training School in September 1963 as a distinguished graduate. He has held a variety of staff and flying assignments including survival instructor, intelligence support project officer for major weapons systems, major command combat operations planner, executive officer and two Air Staff assignments. Flying assignments include aircraft commander, instructor pilot, operations officer, squadron commander and wing commander in two bomb wings. He is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, primarily in bomber aircraft. During the Vietnam War, he flew 150 combat missions and participated in the B-52 Arc Light operations
Operation Arc Light
Operation Arc Light was the 1965 deployment of B-52D Stratofortresses as conventional bombers from bases in the US to Guam to support ground combat operations in Vietnam...
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Education
- 1963 Bachelor of science degree, University of GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
- 1971 Squadron Officer SchoolSquadron Officer SchoolSquadron Officer School , is a five-week long Professional Military Education course for U.S. Air Force Captains. It fulfills the U.S. Air Force's requirement for primary developmental education . SOS is based at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and the in-residence version of the course is taught there...
, Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, Alabama - 1974 Master of science degree in systems management, George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, Washington, D.C. - 1975 Air Command and Staff CollegeAir Command and Staff CollegeThe Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama - 1982 National War CollegeNational War CollegeThe National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
, Fort Lesley J. McNairFort Lesley J. McNairFort Lesley J. McNair is a United States Army post located on the tip of a peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. To its west is the Washington Channel, while the Anacostia River is on its south side...
, Washington, D.C. - 1986 Executive Management Program, Penn State University
- 1988 Program for Senior Executives and National Security Management, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Massachusetts - 1989 Fellow, Seminar XXI Program, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
Assignments
- March 1959 - May 1963, enlisted, U.S. Army Infantry; later served in U.S. Army Reserve
- June 1963 - September 1963, student and distinguished graduate, Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force BaseLackland Air Force BaseLackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
, Texas - October 1963 - May 1964, student, Air Intelligence Officer Course, Lowry Air Force BaseLowry Air Force BaseLowry Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the cities of Aurora and Denver, Colorado. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force technical training and was heavily involved with the training of United States Army Air Forces bomber crews during World...
, Colorado - May 1964 - July 1965, instructor, U.S. Air Force Survival School, Stead Air Force BaseStead Air Force BaseStead Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base operational in Nevada from 1942 to 1966. After its closure, it was reopened as Reno Stead Airport...
, Nevada - July 1965 - August 1966, student, pilot training, Williams Air Force BaseWilliams Air Force BaseWilliams Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in Mesa, and about southeast of Phoenix, Arizona.It was active as a training base for both the United States Army Air Forces, as well as the USAF from 1941 until its closure in 1993...
, Arizona - September 1966 - January 1967, student, B-52 combat crew training, Castle Air Force BaseCastle Air Force BaseCastle Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced and about east southeast of San Francisco, California....
, California - January 1967 - November 1970, B-52 pilot and aircraft commander, 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith Air Force BaseWurtsmith Air Force BaseWurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The former base includes located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au Sable State...
, Michigan - October 1969 - April 1970, B-52 pilot, Arc Light operations in Southeast Asia
- November 1970 - January 1971, student, C-7A training, Dyess Air Force BaseDyess Air Force BaseDyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
, Texas - January 1971 - September 1971, C-7A pilot and instructor pilot, 457th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 483rd Airlift Wing, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, South Vietnam
- September 1971 - August 1974, intelligence support project officer for F-15 and A-10 weapons systems and the Airborne Warning and Control System, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
- August 1974 - June 1975, student and distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- June 1975 - September 1977, operations officer, 644th Bombardment Squadron, 410th Bombardment Wing, K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan
- September 1977 - January 1980, combat operations planner, later executive officer to the deputy chief of staff, operations and plans, and the deputy director for the Single Integrated Operational Plan, Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
, Nebraska - January 1980 - July 1981, commander, 325th Bombardment Squadron, later assistant deputy commander for operations, 92nd Bombardment Wing, both at Fairchild Air Force BaseFairchild Air Force BaseFairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
, Washington - July 1981 - June 1982, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
- June 1982 - April 1983, chief, strategic offensive forces division, deputy directorate for force development, directorate of plans, deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- April 1983 - October 1983, deputy assistant director for Joint and National Security Council Matters, directorate of plans, deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- October 1983 - August 1984, executive officer to the Air Force vice chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- August 1984 - March 1985, vice commander, 5th Bombardment Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota
- March 1985 - January 1986, commander, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan
- January 1986 - January 1987, commander, 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Louisiana - January 1987 - January 1988, inspector general, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
- January 1988 - September 1991, deputy director, later director, programs and evaluation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. During this assignment, he was also the chairman of the Program Review Committee and the Air Force Board
- August 1991 - April 1995, vice commander, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force BaseRandolph Air Force BaseRandolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
, Texas - April 1995 - February 1996, deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- February 1996 - 1998, commander in chief, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
Flight information
- Rating: Command pilot
- Flight hours: More than 5,000 hours
- Aircraft flown: B-52, KC-135, EC-135, KC-10, C-7A and T-39
Major awards and decorations
Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalThe 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...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe 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...
with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United States)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious 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 oak leaf cluster
Air MedalAir MedalThe Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Humanitarian Service MedalHumanitarian Service MedalThe Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Effective dates of promotion
- Second Lieutenant September 24, 1963
- First Lieutenant March 24, 1965
- Captain April 1, 1967
- MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
June 1, 1974 - Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
April 1, 1979 - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
July 1, 1981 - Brigadier GeneralBrigadier general (United States)A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
May 1, 1988 - Major GeneralMajor general (United States)In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
December 1, 1990 - Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General (United States)In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
March 26, 1993 - General March 1, 1996