Brigadier General Stephen E. Rader
Brigadier General Stephen E. Rader is Assistant Adjutant General, Wyoming Air National Guard, serving as its commander, with headquarters in Cheyenne, Wyoming. General Rader is responsible for unit readiness, leadership and strategic planning to support all state and federal mission requirements for the more than 1,200 airmen in the153rd Airlift Wing, who hail from across the nation.
General Rader began his military career on active duty in 1978 as a vehicle maintenance technician. He served at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, until separating from active duty as a sergeant in 1982. He joined the Wyoming Air National Guard in 1983 as a communications technician. He was commissioned in 1986 through the Academy of Military Science and subsequently trained as a C-130 Navigator. He served as a drill status guardsman from 1983 until 1994 when he was hired as a dual-status technician. He became Commander of the 187th Airlift Squadron in 1998 and served in that position until 2004 when he assumed command of the 153rd Operations Group. He was selected as the 153rd Airlift Wing Vice Commander in March 2009 and served in that position until assuming the duties of 153rd Airlift Wing Commander in 2011. In 2013 he relinquished command of theWing and moved to Joint Force Headquarters.
EDUCATION
1983 AAS in Automotive Technology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
1986 Commissioned at Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, Tennesse
1992 Bachelor of Sciences in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
1995 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2001 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2005 AirWar College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1978 - January 1979, Basic Military Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1979 - July 1982, Vehicle Maintenance Technician, 554 Transportation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
3. December 1983 - January 1986, Telecommunications Specialist, 153 Communications Flight, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
4. January 1986 - April 1986, Academy of Military Sciences, McGhee-Tyson Air NationalGuard Base, Knoxville, Tennessee
5. April 1986 - December 1986, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air Force Base, Sacramento, California
6. April 1987 - March 1992, Navigator/C-130, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
7. March 1992 - May 1992, C-130 Navigator Instructor Upgrade, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
8. May 1992 - January 1994, Instructor Navigator/C-130, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
9. January 1994 - September 1996, Chief of Current Operations, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
10. September 1996 - September 1997, Chief of Group Standards/Evaluations, 153 Operations Group,Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
11. September 1997 - August 1998, Director of Operations, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
12. August 1998 - December 2000, Commander, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
13. December 2001 - August 2002, AES/CC, Masirah AB, Oman (Deployed)
14. August 2002 - November 2003, Commander, 187 Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
15. November 2003 - January 2004, Director of Operations, 774 EAS, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait (Deployed)
16. January 2004 - February 2005, Commander, 153 Operations Group, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
17. February 2005 - April 2005, Commander, 774 EAS, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait (Deployed)
18. April 2005 - October 2008, Commander, 153 Operations Group, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
19. October 2008 - March 2009, Deputy DIRMOBFOR, Al Udied Air Base, Qatar (Deployed)
20. March 2009 - July 2011, Vice Commander, 153 AirliftWing,Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
21. July 2009 - August 2013, Commander, 153 AirliftWing, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
22. August 2013 - December 2014, Director of Joint Staff,Wyoming National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
23. December 2014 - February 2015, Chief of Staff, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne,Wyoming
24. February 2015 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, Cheyenne, Wyoming
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 7,700
Aircraft Flown: C-130B, C-130E, C-130H
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Aerial Achievement Medal (with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with Valor and 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 11 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Good Conduct Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Kosovo Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal GlobalWar on Terror Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border)
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 2 "M" Devices and Gold Hourglass)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Training Ribbon (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Wyoming Achievement Ribbon
Wyoming Service Ribbon (with 4 Devices)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
Wyoming National Guard Association
National Guard Association of the United States
Military Officers Association of America
American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Rotary International
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Apr. 3, 1986
First Lieutenant Apr. 3, 1989
Captain Apr. 14, 1991
Major Feb. 10, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel Apr. 13, 2001
Colonel Apr. 27, 2006
Brigadier General Feb. 18, 2014
(Current as of September 2017)
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