BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWARD L. VAUGHAN, IV
Brig. Gen. Edward L. “Hertz” Vaughan is the Senior U.S. military officer in Canada and serves as Deputy Commander, Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region, and Deputy Joint Force Air Component Commander for 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba. He assumes command of coalition forces assigned to the Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command Region in the Canadian commander's absence. Brig. Gen. Vaughan leads force employment of airpower while ensuring that the region's battle staff, air operations center, flying units, radar sensors, intelligence and joint, all-domain command-and-control assets provide joint air, space and maritime warning and control.
Brig. Gen. Vaughan is a combat fighter pilot and polar airlifter. Following Air Force ROTC, he was commissioned as an honor-distinguished graduate from Air National Guard officer training. He held leadership roles at squadron, group, wing and air division levels. He planned/executed global operations for Defense Support to Civilian Authorities, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. His staff work includes the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Indo-Pacific Command, Headquarters Air Force and the National Guard Bureau. Brig. Gen. Vaughan has experienced leading change in cross-cultural, multilingual environments, including regional competencies in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Vaughan served as HQ Air Force Deputy Director of Training and Readiness, where he launched the Air Force Physiological Episodes Action Team and deployed as special Air Advisor to the Puerto Rico Adjutant General. As a drill status member of the ANG, he had a decade of private sector experience in engineering, manufacturing, cross-cultural negotiation and marketing. His contingency experience includes operations Iraqi Freedom, Tomodachi, Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, Coronet Oak, Enduring Freedom, Uphold Democracy, Katrina, Deep Freeze and Maria Relief Puerto Rico. He served as a student and faculty for USAF Blue Horizons futures think tank.
EDUCATION:
1991 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.
1997 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2003 Joint Air Commanders Course, Air Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2009 Master’s in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Joint Air Operations Planning Course, LeMay Center for Doctrine, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Joint Faculty Development Course, Air War College, Ala. and Joint Forces Staff College, Va.
2015 National Security Studies Program, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2017 Director of Mobility Forces Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Operations School, Hurlburt AFB, Fla.
2017 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md. and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
2020 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2021 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), Colorado Springs, CO
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. April 1992 - February 1993, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
2. February 1993 - April 1993, Student Navigator, C-130 Replacement Training Unit, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. May 1993 - August 1995, LC/C-130 Navigator, 139th Airlift Squadron, Stratton Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
4. August 1995 - August 1996, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
5. August 1996 - December 1996, Student Pilot, C-130 Replacement Training Unit, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. December 1996 - March 1998, LC/C-130 Tactical Airlift/Ski-plane Pilot, 139th Airlift Squadron; flying executive officer, airdrop pilot, supervisor of flying, 109th Operations Group, Stratton ANGB, Scotia, N.Y.
7. April 1998 - July 1998, Student, T-38 requal and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
8. August 1998 - July 1999, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
9. July 1999 - December 2000, F-16 Fighter Pilot, Squadron Scheduler, Bomb Range Control Officer, Squadron Training Officer, 138th Fighter Squadron, Hancock Field, Syracuse, N.Y.
10. December 2000 - March 2002, F-16 Instructor Fighter Pilot, standardization and evaluation liaison officer, 163rd Fighter Squadron; Wing plans officer, 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne International Airport, Ind.
11. March 2002 - February 2005, Chief of Wing Safety, Instructor Fighter Pilot, 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne IAP, Ind.
12. February 2005 - July 2008, Chief, Aviation Safety Division and Deputy Director, Safety, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2008 - October 2009, Student, Air War College; Deputy Director, U.S. Air Force Blue Horizons, Center for Strategy and Technology, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. October 2009 - September 2011, Chief, Joint Operations and Plans, Joint Task Force – Support Forces Antarctica, U.S. Pacific Command, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Concurrently, Commander, Forward and Garrison, Detachment 1, 13th Air Expeditionary Group, JTF-Support Forces Antarctica, McMurdo Station, Antarctica
15. September 2011 - October 2013, Air National Guard Advisor to the Commander and President, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
16. November 2013 - October 2015, National Director of Safety, Air National Guard, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
17. October 2015 - June 2017, Wing Commander, 156th Airlift Wing; Base Commander, Muñiz ANGB, Carolina, Puerto Rico
18. June 2017 - July 2018, Director for Integration (RI), Office of Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. August 2018 - August 2019, Deputy Director, Readiness and Training; Lead, Air Force Physiological Episodes Action Team, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. August 2019 - Present, Deputy Commander, Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region, and Deputy Joint Forces Air Component Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. October 2009 - September 2011, Chief, Joint Operations and Plans, Joint Task Force – Support Forces Antarctica, U.S. Pacific Command, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Concurrently, Commander, Forward and Garrison, Detachment 1, 13th Air Expeditionary Group, JTF-Support Forces Antarctica, McMurdo Station, Antarctica as a Lieutenant Colonel
2. June 2017 - July 2018, Director for Integration (RI), Office of Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a Colonel
3. August 2019 - Present, Deputy Commander, Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region, and Deputy Joint Forces Air Component Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada as a Brigadier General
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot and former Navigator
Flight hours: More than 2,700 including over 200 combat hours
Aircraft flown: A-10, F-16, C-130, WC-130, LC-130, AT-38, T-38, T-37, T-43 and T-3A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Antarctica Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Humanitarian Service Medal with bronze service star
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
2007 Chief of Staff of the Air Force Individual Safety Trophy (U.S. Air Force level)
2008 Inductee to the Air Force Safety Hall of Fame (U.S. Air Force level)
2011 Co-inventor, “U.S. Air Force method/apparatus for mitigating aircrew fatigue”, Patent #US20110071873A1
2012 Executive Producer, “Welcome to 2035...Age of Surprise,” U.S. Air Force Innovation Video
2016 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, 156 AW, as commander
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant April 9, 1992
First Lieutenant April 15, 1994
Captain April 15, 1996
Major April 13, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel May 4, 2005
Colonel May 24, 2012
Brigadier General Aug. 1, 2018
(Current as of May 2021)