LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES B. HECKER
Lt. Gen. James B. Hecker is Commander and President, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He provides full-spectrum education, research and outreach at every level through professional military education, professional continuing education and academic degree granting. He leads the intellectual and leadership center of the U.S. Air Force, graduating more than 50,000 residents and 120,000 non-resident officers, enlisted and civilian personnel each year. Additionally, he is responsible for officer commissioning through Officer Training School and the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Lt. Gen. Hecker was commissioned in the Air Force in 1989 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He was both a graduate and instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and numbered Air Force levels. The general last served as Vice Director of Operations, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.
Lt. Gen. Hecker is a command pilot with more than 3,500 hours flying various aircraft including the F-15C Eagle, F-22 Raptor, MQ-1B Predator, HH-60 Pave Hawk, C-208 Caravan and the T-38C Talon. He has flown combat missions in operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Resolute Support and Freedom’s Sentinel.
He holds the BA from the USAF Academy and the MSc in Aeronautical Sciences, from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also served as a Congressional Legislative Fellow.
Among his many decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and Air Medal with combat “C” device.
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