Brigadier General Terry L. Butler is the Commander and Chief of Staff, West Virginia Air National Guard. The West Virginia Air National Guard has over 2,000 members and consists of two flying units, the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, WV, and the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, WV. As Commander and Chief of Staff, he provides command and control over all ANG forces assigned to the State and is the principal advisor to the Adjutant General on all matters related to the Air National Guard.
Brigadier General Butler began his military career in 1968 with the US Army. He completed US Army Rotary Wing training at Ft Rucker AL and was assigned to the 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company and the 243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company, Republic of Vietnam, where he logged over 700 combat flight hours. He joined the 146th Medical Evacuation Company, WV National Guard in January 1972. He was commissioned in the West Virginia Air National Guard in 1974 and earned his Air Force pilot wings at Vance AFB, Ok in 1975. His aviation career includes more than 5,100 flying hours, primarily in the C-130. His distinguished service with the 130th Airlift Wing included assignments with the 1630th Provisional Wing, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Southwest Asia and as a C-130 Flight Instructor/Evaluator.
Subsequent assignments at Headquarters, Air National Guard included Airlift Scheduler; Director, ANG Contingency Support; Air Operations Officer; Chief, Air Operations Center; C-130 Program Element Monitor; and Chief, Mobility Forces Branch. His most recent assignment was ANG Advisor to AF Programs, Headquarters Air Force.
1976 Bachelor of Arts degree, Marshall University, Huntington, WV
1977 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1978 Master of Arts degree in Journalism. Marshall University, Huntington, WV
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
1. May 69 - Sep 69, US Army basic helicopter trainee, 1st WOC Company, Ft. Wolters, TX
2. Sep 69 - Jun 70, US Army advanced helicopter trainee, 4th WOC Company, Ft. Rucker, AL
3. Jun 70 - Dec 70, US Army CH-47 helicopter pilot, 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company, Republic of Vietnam
4. Dec 70 - Jul 71, US Army CH-47 helicopter aircraft commander, 243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company, Republic of Vietnam
5. Jul 71 - Dec 71, US Army CH-47 instructor pilot, Fort Rucker, AL
6. Dec 71 - Jan 72, break in service
7. Jan 72 - Jan 74, helicopter pilot, 146th Medical Evacuation Company, West Virginia Army National Guard
8. Jan 74 - Oct 75, USAF undergraduate pilot trainee, Vance AFB, OK.
9. Oct 75 - Jun 79, pilot, tactical airlift C-130, 130th Airlift Squadron, Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV.
10. Jun 79 - Apr 86, flight instructor/evaluator, 130th Airlift Squadron, Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV.
11. Apr 86 - Jun 87, airlift scheduler, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
12. Jun 87 - Jul 89, support aircraft operations, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
13. Jul 89 - Jul 91, pilot, tactical airlift C-130, 130th Airlift Squadron, Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV.
14. Aug 90 - Aug 91, 1630th Provisional Wing, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Southwest Asia.
15. Jul, 91 - Jun 93, director, ANG contingency support, Headquarters, Air National Guard, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
16. Jun 93 - Jun 94, air operations officer, Headquarters, Air National Guard, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
17. Jun 94 - Apr 95, Chief, Air Operations Center, Headquarters, Air National Guard, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
18. Apr 95 - Aug 97, C-130 program element monitor, Headquarters, Air National Guard, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
19. Aug 97 - Feb 00, Chief, Mobility Forces Branch, Headquarters, Air National Guard, Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
20. Feb 00 - Nov 04, ANG advisor to AF programs, Headquarters, Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. Nov 04 - Present, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, West Virginia Air National Guard, Charleston, WV.
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,100
Aircraft flown: C-130, C-22, T-37, T-38, OH-23, UH-1, OH-58, CH-47
Pilot wings from: Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 devices
Air Medal with 14 devices
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor with 3 devices
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with 4 devices
Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal with 1 device
Vietnam Service Medal with 3 devices
Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 devices
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with 7 devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 2 devices
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)
Program Manager - SAIC (Scientific Applications International Corporation)
His professional affiliations include membership in the National Guard Association of West Virginia, and the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).
Air Transport Pilot rating with the Federal Aviation Administration
2Lt 14 February 1974
1Lt 14 February 1977
Capt 14 February 1981
Maj 11 February 1986
Lt Col 21 January 1994
Col 6 October 2000
Brig Gen 1 May 2004
(Current as of December 2005)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.