BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWARD R. FLORA

Chief of Staff, Kansas Air National Guard

Brigadier General Edward R. Flora is assigned as the Chief of Staff and also serves as the Commander, Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas. The Kansas Air National Guard is comprised of two refueling wings, a bombing range, an air control squadron, weather flight, intelligence squadron, information warfare squadron and a network operations security center.

Brigadier General Flora received his commission in the United States Navy through Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1980 and upon completion of flight training was designated a Naval Aviator. Following a tour of duty as an Instructor Pilot, General Flora was assigned to the initial cadre for the F/A-18 Hornet and completed three deployments to the western Pacific aboard USS Constellation with Strike Fighter Squadron 25. He graduated from the US Navy Fighter Weapons School, (TOPGUN), in 1986 and served as the squadrons Air to Air Weapons Officer, Nuclear Safety Officer, Maintenance Quality Assurance Officer, and Avionics and Ordnance Division Officer. General Flora joined the Kansas Air National Guard in 1987 and served as an F-16 Replacement Training Unit Instructor, Flight Commander, Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, Flight Control Facility Pilot and Weapons Officer at the squadron and group level. Following conversion to the B-1B in 1994, he commanded Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range, the 184BW Operation Support Squadron, and the Operations Group. In March 1999, General Flora was reassigned as the 184th Bomb Wing Vice-Commander and assumed command of the 184th Bomb Wing in January 2001. In July 2004, General Flora served as the Director of Operations for Joint Forces Headquarters. Subsequently, he was selected as the Chief of Staff for the Kansas Air National Guard and was promoted to Brigadier General. In March 2007, he assumed command of the Kansas Air National Guard.

EDUCATION:

1979 Wichita State University, Bachelor of Arts in Business and Aviation Management, Wichita, Kansas
1998 Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
1998 Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, Newport, Rhode Island

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. May 1980 - February 1982, student, Naval Flight Training, NAS Pensacola, Florida
2. February 1982 - July 1983, student, VT-26 Flight Instructor Training, Naval Air Station Beeville, Texas
3. August 1983 - March 1984, student, F-18 Replacement Training Unit, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California
4. April 1984 - May 1987, VFA-25, F-18 Pilot, USS Constellation
5. June 1987 - November 1987, VFA-303, Naval Reserve
6. November 1987 - September 1989, Instructor Pilot, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
7. September 1989 - April 1990, Squadron Chief of Programming, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
8. April 1990 - April 1991, Instructor Pilot, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
9. April 1991 - April 1992, Weapons and Tactics Officer, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
10. April 1992 - April 1993, Flight Commander, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
11. April 1993 - March 1994, Group Weapons Officer, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
12. March 1994 - December 1995, Smoky Hill Weapons Range Commander, Det 1, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, Salina, Kansas
13. January 1996 - May 1997, 184th Operations Support Squadron Commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
14. May 1997 - June 1998, student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
15. June 1998 - February 1999 Operations Group Commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
16. February 1999 - February 2001, Vice Commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
17. February 2001 - July 2004, Commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
18. July 2004 - November 2004, Director of Operations, Kansas Air National Guard Headquarters, Topeka, Kansas
19. March 2005 - February 2006, Director of Operations, Kansas Air National Guard Headquarters, Topeka, Kansas
20. March 2006 - Present, Chief of Staff, Kansas Air National Guard Headquarters, Topeka, Kansas

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 4000
Aircraft flown: B-1B, F-16A/B/C/D, F-18

MAJOR AWARDS & DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
SEA Service Deployment Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kansas National Guard Medal of Excellence
Kansas National Guard Meritorious Service Ribbon
Kansas National Guard State Emergency Duty Service Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Sunflower)
Kansas National Guard Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Sunflower)

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Training Instructor, Flight Safety International - Raytheon Learning Center

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Ensign 2 May 1980
Lieutenant Junior Grade 2 May 1982
Lieutenant 2 May 1984
Major 4 October 1990
Lieutenant Colonel 11 January 1995
Colonel 3 March 1999
Brigadier General 1 April 2006

(Current as of November 2007)