Retired effective Oct 31, 1997
Brigadier General John
N. Lotz is the assistant adjutant general, Air, for the California National Guard. He
serves as the principal military assistant and advisor to the adjutant general for Air
National Guard matters in the state of California.
General Lotz was reared in Riverside, Calif., and graduated from La Habra High School in 1959. He received a bachelor's degree in philosophy from California State University, Long Beach, in 1963, and went on to earn his master's degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School in 1971. His professional military education includes completion of Squadron Officers School, 1976; Air Command and Staff College, 1979; and the National Security Management Course, 1981.
Enlisting in the Naval Air Reserve in 1959, General Lotz served as an air traffic controller while attending college, attaining the rank of petty officer third class in the U S Naval Reserve. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to attend Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, Texas, and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation in 1963. He then completed the ground electronics officer course at Keesler AFB. Miss., and accepted a regular Air Force comission in December 1964.
He was assigned to Truax Field, Wisc., as officer-in-charge, Systems Quality Control, Chicago Air Defense Sector. He then performed duty as a guidance control officer in the Thor missile program at Vandenberg AFB. Calif. and Johnston Island, in the Pacific, attaining the rank of captain, before resuming civilian life. General Lotz continued service in the active Reserves until 1974, when he was appointed as a captain in the California ANG. At that time, he was assigned to the 261st Combat Communications Squadron, in Van Nuys, as a communications-electronics staff officer. He went on to become chief of maintenance, and then commander in 1979. In 1981, he assumed command of the 234th Combat Communications Squadron in Hayward, and in 1982, was appointed deputy commander of the 162nd Combat Communications Group, located in North Highlands. In 1989, he assumed command of the 162nd CCG, and in 1990, was appointed to his present position at the state headquarters.
His military decorations and awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with one silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and the Air Force Training Ribbon. California state awards include the Meritorious Unit Citation, California Service Medal with one device; State Service Ribbon, and Drill Attendance Ribbon with three silver stars.
In his civilian capacity, General Lotz is the managing general partner of Bay Ridge, Inc. a land development company in Monterey, Calif., and is a director of the Monterey County Bank and the Affordable Housing Corporation.
His civic affiliations include being the past director and president of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, and is a past director of the Private Industry Council. He is also a member of the Harvard Business School Alumni Association of N. Calif., the National Guard Association of Calif., and the U.S., the Urban Land Institute, and the Chamber of Commerce. An active civilian pilot, he holds a commercial pilot's license with single and multi-engine land, instrument, and helicopter flight privileges. He holds an FAA certification as a flight instructor, including an instrument flying instructor rating.
The general was promoted to and federally recognized as a brigadier general on April 8, 1992.
(Current as of February 2001)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.