MAJOR GENERAL MASON C. WHITNEY
Major General Mason C. Whitney was appointed as the adjutant general of, the Colorado National Guard on 1 February 2000. He is responsible for more than 5,400 Colorado Army and Air National Guard members located in over thirty Colorado communities. He is also responsible for over 2,500 Civil Air Patrol officers, cadets, and volunteers in the Colorado Wing. He serves as the executive director, of the Colorado Department of Military Affairs, is a member of the Governor's cabinet and serves on the Reserve Forces Policy Board for the Secretary of Defense.
The general was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant through the Kansas State University Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June of 1968 and entered undergraduate pilot training at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas. He is a command pilot with over 6,000 hours of military flying time in the F-16 C/D, A-7 D/C, O-2A, T-37, T-38, and T-39 aircraft. He served as a forward air controller at Ban Me Thout Special Forces Camp, South Vietnam, where he flew 343 combat missions in the O-2A aircraft throughout South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos from January through November 1970.
EDUCATION:
1968 Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Kansas State University
1977 Squadron Officer School
1981 Air Command and Staff College
1985 Air War College
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. September 1966 - May 1968, ROTC student, Kansas State University
2. August 1968 - August 1969, undergraduate pilot training, Laredo Air Force Base, TX
3. October 1969 - December 1969, O-2A FAC, Hurlburt Field, FL
4. January 1970 - May 1970, O-2A FAC, Bien Hoa AB, Republic of Vietnam
5. May 1970 - November 1970, O-2A FAC, Ban Me Thout East, Republic of Vietnam
6. November 1970 - May 1971, T-37 instructor pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, MS
7. May 1971 - September 1973, T-37 instructor pilot, Columbus Air Force Base, MS
8. September 1973 - January 1974, T-39 instructor pilot, Randolph Air Force Base, TX
9. January 1974 - September 1974, T-39 flight examiner, Randolph Air Force Base, TX
10. September 1974 - August 1975, A-7D pilot training, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ
11. September 1975 - January 1977, A-7D instructor pilot, flight commander, England Air Force Base, LA
12. January 1977 - August 1979, A-7D Assistant Chief Standardization and Evaluation, Flight Examiner, England Air Force Base, LA
13. August 1979 - July 1983, chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
14. July 1983 - June 1984, chief of training, 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
15. June 1984 - January 1985, chief of operations and plans, 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
16. February 1985 - February 1986, operations officer, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
17. February 1986 - January 1988, commander, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
18. January 1988 - August 1990, deputy commander for Maintenance/Vice Wing Commander, 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
19. September 1990 - May 1998, commander, 140th Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, CO
20. May 1998 - February 2000, director, Air National Guard Affairs, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA
21. February 2000 - Present, the adjutant general, Colorado National Guard, Englewood, CO
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 6,000; 343 combat missions and 758 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: O-2A, T-37, T-39, A-7, F-16
Pilot wings from: Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1968
First Lieutenant February 10, 1970
Captain August 10, 1971
Major June 12, 1980
Lieutenant Colonel June 22, 1984
Colonel December 11, 1987
Brigadier General April 8, 1992
Major General October 10, 1998
(Current as of October 2006)