MAJOR GENERAL RANDAL K. EFFERSON
Maj Gen Randal K. Efferson is the Special Assistant to the Director of the Air National Guard (ANG), the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He also serves as Deputy, Combined Forces Air Component Commander for 1st Air Force (U.S. Air Forces Northern and U.S. Air Forces Space), Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. In his role as Special Assistant, he represents Air National Guard equities and provides expertise in roles, missions, and capabilities affecting the 108,300 Citizen Airmen serving in operational missions worldwide with the Air National Guard. In his 1st Air Force role he is responsible for assisting in planning/conducting air defense and air sovereignty operations in the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, supporting the deployment , sustainment and redeployment of U.S. Forces in support of U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Space Command; providing Defense Support of Civil Authorities; executing Theater Security Cooperation with partner nations; and planning and executing contingency support operations for NASA human space flight programs.
Maj Gen Efferson received his commission in 1990 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. He is a command pilot with nine combat deployments having served in the regular Air Force and with the Air National Guard (Texas, Florida, and Alabama). Career highlights include assignments as the 187FW Commander, F-35 initial cadre for the Air National Guard, Executive Officer to the Director of the Air National Guard, J3 Director of Operations for U.S. Central Command Forward Element, Jordan, Commander of the 187th Fighter Wing, Assistant Adjutant General and Air Component Commander for the Alabama Air National Guard, and most recently as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Commander, 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central). Prior to his current position, the general was the Acting Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
EDUCATION
1989 U.S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga.
1990 Bachelor of Science, Engineering, Science and Mechanics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1996 U.S. Air Force Fighter Electronic Combat Course, Fla.
1997 U.S. Navy Strike Leader Attack Training School, Nev.
1998 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nev.
2001 Master of Science, Human Resources Management, Troy State University, Shaw AFB Campus, S.C.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Norfolk, Va.
2018 National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2018 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2019 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Regional Seminar - Eurasia, Old Town Alexandria, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1991 - February 1992, Student Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1993 - March 1993, Lead-In Fighter Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. June 1993 - December 1993, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. January 1994 - January 1995, Flight Lead and Scheduler, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. January 1995 - September 1997, Chief of Standardization & Evaluation, 77th FS, Shaw AFB, S.C.
6. September 1997 - June 1998, Assistant Chief of Wing Standardization & Evaluation, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. July 1998 - December 1998, F-16 WIC, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. January 1999 - February 2000, Weapons Officer, 68th FS, Moody AFB, Ga.
9. February 2000 - September 2002, Commander, 9th Air Force F-16 Demonstration Team, Shaw AFB, S.C.
10. June 2004 - June 2006, Wing Weapons Officer, 147th FW, Texas ANG, Ellington Field, Texas.
11. June 2006 - November 2010, Assistant Operations Officer, 100th FS, Alabama ANG, Montgomery Regional Air Guard Base, Ala.
12. November 2010 - March 2013, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 33d Operations Group (FLANG), Eglin AFB, Fla.
13. April 2013 - November 2013, Executive Officer to the Director of the Air National Guard, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. December 2013 - December 2014, J3 Director of Operations, CENTCOM Forward, Jordan
15. January 2015 - December 2017, Commander, 187th Fighter Wing, Dannelly Field ANGB, Montgomery, Ala.
16. December 2017 - June 2019, Assistant Adjutant General and Air Component Commander of the Alabama ANG, JFHQ-Air, Montgomery, Ala.
17. June 2019 - October 2019, Assistant Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Force Central, Shaw AFB, S.C.
18. October 2019 - April 2022, ANG Assistant to the Commander, 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central), Shaw AFB, S.C.
19. April 2022 - August 2024, Special Assistant to the Director of the ANG and Advisor to Headquarters Air Force Total Force Integration (HAF/DSI) office, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. August 2024 - November 2024, Acting Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
21. November 2024 - Present, Special Assistant to Director of the Air National Guard and Advisor to Headquarters Air Force Total Force Integration (HAF/DSI), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2013 - December 2014, J3 Director of Operations, CENTCOM Forward, Jordan, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,700, 600 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38B, F-16 Block 30/40/50
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1994 Air-to-Air Top Heater Award, 80 FS
1994 Wingman of the Quarter, 80 FS
1995 Fighter Pilot of the Year, 77 FS
1997 IP of the Quarter, 77 FS
1998 IP of the Quarter, 80 FS
1998 USAF WIC Outstanding Graduate, Class 98-BIF
1998 Moody AFB Robbie Risner Award
1999 AEG Company Grade Officer of the Quarter
1999 Two time Fighter pilot of the Quarter, 68 FS
1999 Two time IP of the Quarter, 68 FS
1999 IP of the year, 68th FS
2001 IP of the Quarter, 78 FS
2012 Top 1% of all AWC Distance learning students (7,000 students)
2018 Association of Defense Communities Military Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 11, 1990
First Lieutenant Sept. 11, 1992
Captain Sept. 11, 1994
Major Oct. 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2008
Colonel May 23, 2013
Brigadier General Dec. 15, 2017
Major General May 1, 2020
(Current as of November 2024)
