BRIGADIER GENERAL AARON J. BOOHER

Chief Of Staff, South Carolina Air National Guard

Brigadier General Aaron J. Booher is Chief of Staff, South Carolina Air National Guard. He supervises the preparation of plans, policies and programs for Air National Guard units assigned to the state and advises and assists the Adjutant General in their execution.

General Booher earned his commission in July 1987 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program as a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. He entered active duty in March 1988 and went on to serve in combat Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM/PROVIDE COMFORT and operational flying assignments as an F-16 Instructor Pilot/Evaluator and AT-38B Instructor Pilot. General Booher is a Command Pilot with over 2,200 hours in the F-16 C/D, AT-38B, C-130E. He has held various Headquarters Air Force staff positions to include F-16 Fighter Programmer; Executive Officer to the Director of Programs, Deputy Chief of Staff Plans and Programs; Chief, Combat Forces, National Guard Bureau; Air National Guard Liaison to Secretary of the Air Force Appropriations Liaison; Legislative Liaison to the Director, Air National Guard; Air National Guard Advisor to the Director, Secretary of the Air Force's Legislative Liaison; and Director, Plans and Programs, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia.

Before his present assignment, Brigadier General Booher served as the Chief, National Guard Bureau, International Affairs, Washington, District of Columbia. In this capacity he was responsible for the development, management and oversight of the National Guard State Partnership Program and related security cooperation activities.

EDUCATION:

1987 Bachelor of Science, Engineering - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
1996 Squadron Officer School - Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
1999 Masters of Aeronautical Management - Embry-Riddle University
1999 Air Command and Staff College - Seminar, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
2004 Air War College - Seminar, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. March 1988 - April 1989, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 1989 - June 1989, Student, Fighter Lead-in Training, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
3. June 1989 - February 1990, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
4. February 1990 - August 1991, Pilot, Tactical Fighter, F-16, 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany
5. August 1991 - March 1993, Pilot, F-16, 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
6. March 1993 - December 1993, Chief of Squadron Training/Instructor Pilot, F-16, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
7. December 1993 - June 1994, Instructor Pilot, F-16/Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 22nd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
8. July 1994 - June 1995, Instructor Pilot, 49th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi
9. July 1995 - June 1996, Assistant Flight Commander/Instructor Pilot, AT-38, 49th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi
10. July 1996 - June 1998, Flight Commander/Instructor Pilot, AT-38, 49th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi
11. July 1998 - May 1999, Conventional Weapons Force Programmer, Directorate of Programs, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
12. May 1999 - July 2000, Chief, F-16 Programming, Directorate of Programs, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
13. July 2000 - March 2002, Executive Officer, Air Force Programs, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
14. March 2002 - March 2003, Program Element Monitor, F-16, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia
15. March 2003 - March 2004, Air Sovereignty Alert Programmer/Deputy Branch Chief, Combat Forces, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
16. March 2004 - March 2005, Chief, Combat Forces Branch, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
17. March 2005 - March 2006, Air National Guard Liaison to Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Budget and Appropriations Liaison, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
18. March 2006 - March 2007, Air Legislative Liaison, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
19. March 2007 - March 2008, Air National Guard Advisor to the Director, Legislative Liaison, Office of Legislative Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
20. March 2008 - March 2009, Air National Guard Advisor to the Director, Secretary of the Air Force/Legislative Liaison, Office of Legislative Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia
21. March 2009 - March 20111, Director, Plans and Programs, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
22. March 2011 - January 2013, Chief, International Affairs, National Guard Bureau, Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
23. January 2013 - Present, Chief of Staff, South Carolina Air National Guard, McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina

FLIGHT RATING:

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 2,200 +
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, T-1, F-16C/D, AT-38B, C-130E
Wings Earned: Reese Air Force Base, Texas

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with Gold Frame)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long
Air Force Longevity Service with (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal - Government of Kuwait

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Chief of the Director, Air National Guard's Action Group at the National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia. In this role, he supports the Director with engagement, coordination, messaging and advocacy of Air National Guard programs.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 26 November 1987
First Lieutenant 26 November 1989
Captain 26 November 1991
Major 01 June 1999
Lieutenant Colonel 28 August 2003
Colonel 29 April 2008
Brigadier General 28 January 2013

(Current as of March 2013)