MAJOR GENERAL GENE W. HUGHES, JR
Retired March 01, 2023
Maj. Gen. Gene W. Hughes, Jr. was the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces that provide strategic deterrence, global strike, cyber operations and combat support to USSSTRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two Numbered Air Forces and 11 active duty, ANG and AF Reserve wings. Weapons systems assigned to the command include Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers, UH-1N helicopters, the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft and the NC3 system.
General Hughes earned his commission in 1987 through the United States Air Force Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Medina Annex, Texas. He has served in various operational and staff assignments to include Senior Executive to the Director of the Air National Guard, Chief, Joint Resources and Readiness Division (J74) at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), and Special Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard for Headquarters Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration (AF/A10), Washington, DC., as well as, two group- level commands. General Hughes has deployed in support of Operation Deliberate Force, Operation Deny Flight, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, General Hughes served as the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Wyoming National Guard.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, Physics, Centre College, Danville, Ky.
1988 Air Weapons Controller Manual School, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
1988 USAF Air Weapons Controller Automated School, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
1992 Master of Science, Management, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
1996 Communications-Electronics Officer Air Force Specialty Code awarding school, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Level IV Antiterrorism Force Protection, Tyson's Corner, Va.
2015 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2016 Homeland Protection Workshop, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, Mass.
2016 Joint Task Force Commanders Training Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2017 Dual Status Commander Qualification Course, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2018 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2019 National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1988 - November 1992, Air Weapons Controller, Controller Instructor, Weapons Assignment Officer, Staff Training Officer, WAO Instructor, Standardization/Evaluation Additional Duty Evaluator, Officer In Charge of Weapons Section, Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
2. December 1992 - August 1995, Air Weapons Controller, Operations Training Officer, 123rd Air Control Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard, Cincinnati, Ohio
3. September 1995 - November 2002, Chief of Maintenance, 123rd Air Control Squadron, Ohio ANG, Cincinnati, Ohio
4. December 2002 - April 2004, Operations Officer, 123rd Air Control Squadron, Ohio ANG, Cincinnati, Ohio
5. May 2004 - June 2011, Commander, 123rd Air Control Squadron, Ohio ANG, Cincinnati, Ohio
6. July 2011 - February 2013, Commander, 121st Mission Support Group, Ohio ANG, Columbus, Ohio
7. March 2013 - September 2014, Commander, 178th Mission Support Group, Ohio ANG Springfield, Ohio
8. October 2014 - August 2015, Senior Executive Officer to the Director ANG, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. September 2015 - November 2017, Chief Joint Resources and Readiness Division, NORAD and USNORTHCOM J7, Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colo.
10. December 2017 - November 2018, Assistant Adjutant General, Columbus, OH
11. December 2018 - December 2020, Chief of Staff, Cheyenne, WY
12. January 2021 - June 2021, Assistant Adjutant General, Cheyenne, WY; dual-hatted, May 2019 - June 2021, Special Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard for Headquarters Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration (AF/A10), Washington, DC
13. July 2021 - December 2022, Air National Guard Assistant to Commander, Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, LA
14. January 2023 - February 2023, Director, Joint Staff - (WY), Cheyenne, WY
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2015 - November 2017, Chief Joint Resources and Readiness Division, NORAD and USNORTHCOM J7, Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colo. as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Ribbon with two stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with four 'M' Devices and one bronze hour glass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze star
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
Louisiana Emergency Service Medal
Ohio Commendation Medal
Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters
Ohio Special Service Ribbon
Wyoming National Guard Exceptional Achievement Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 27, 1988
First Lieutenant Jan. 27, 1990
Captain Jan. 27, 1992
Major Dec. 18, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 18, 2003
Colonel Dec. 17, 2011
Brigadier General Dec. 8, 2017
Major General July 1, 2021
(Current as of July 2024)
