BRIGADIER GENERAL STEPHEN C. MELTON
Brigadier General Stephen C. Melton was the Chief of Staff - Georgia Air National Guard. His duties and responsibilities included direct supervision of the Georgia State Air Guard staff, and oversight of 2,877 Georgia Air National Guard members serving in two flying wings, seven geographically separated units and the Air Dominance Center.
General Melton was commissioned in 1989 through the Academy of Military Science. He completed undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma and C-130 initial qualification training at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. He has commanded at squadron, group, and wing levels, and served as Deputy Operations Group Commander, 775th Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in 2011. General Melton is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, C-130E/H/H2 and E-8C, including 273 combat sorties in Southwest Asia and 83 combat support sorties.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Auburn University Main Campus, Auburn University, Alabama
1995 Squadron Officer School (SOS), in residence
2002 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
2004 Air War College, by correspondence
2013 Executive Leadership, Brooking Institute
2014 Commanders Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
2015 Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1989 - September 1990, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Distinguished Graduate, 71st Student Squadron, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
2. September 1990 - January 1991, C-130 Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
3. January 1993 - March 1993, C-130 Aircraft Commander training, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
4. March 1994 - September 1994, Instructor Pilot School, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
5. September 1994 - August 1996, C-130 evaluator pilot certification, Savannah, Georgia
6. August 1996 - January 1997, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 165th Operations Group, Savannah, Georgia
7. January 1997 - June 1997, A-Flight Element Leader, 158th Airlift Squadron, Savannah, Georgia
8. June 1997 - June 2005, A-Flight Commander, 158th Airlift Squadron, Savannah, Georgia
9. June 2005 - December 2007, Commander, 158th Airlift Squadron, Savannah, Georgia
10. December 2007 - December 2009, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta, Georgia
11. December 2009 - January 2011, Commander, 165th Operations Group, Savannah, Georgia
12. January 2011 - May 2011, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 775th Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
13. May 2011 - October 2012, Vice Wing Commander, 165th Airlift Wing, Savannah, Georgia
14. October 2012 - April 2015, Vice Wing Commander, 116th Air Control Wing, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
15. April 2015 - November 2019, Chief of Staff, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-130E/H/H2 and E-8C
Pilot wings: Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device and bronze hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Georgia
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 3, 1989
First Lieutenant Sept. 13, 1991
Captain April 10, 1994
Major May 3, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel June 23, 2002
Colonel Oct. 3, 2009
Brigadier General Dec. 8, 2016
(Current as of November 2019)
