Brigadier General Harris is the assistant adjutant general for the Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. As the commander, General Harris commands and directs manning, training, and employment of Air National Guard resources, a force of 1,500 officers and airmen.
Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant through the University of Colorado Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June of 1975, he then entered undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He began his career flying A-10s at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, S.C. From there he reported to RAF Bentwaters, UK, where he became an instructor pilot and a Fighter Weapons School Graduate. His last A-10 assignment was to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. He joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1985. He served as wing flying safety officer and wing weapons and tactics officer while flying the A-7. After transitioning to the F-16 in 1991, he served as Squadron Operations officer, 120th Fighter Squadron Commander, and 140th WG Operations Group Commander. He is a command pilot with more than 3,700 flying hours in the A-10, A-7 and F-16 including 79 combat hours. He served three contingency tours in Southwest Asia. Prior to his selection as Chief of Staff, he was the Executive Assistant for the Headquarters, Colorado Air National Guard.
1975 Bachelor of science in engineering physics, University of Colorado,
Boulder
1982 Squadron Officer School, in residence
1984 Masters of business administration, Golden Gate University, San Francisco,
Calif.
1991 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
1. May 1976 - May 1977, undergraduate pilot training, 71st Student Squadron, Vance
Air Force Base, Okla.
2. May 1977 - December 1977, A-10 operational training course, 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base, Ariz
3. December 1977 - May 1979, A-10 pilot, 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Myrtle Beach
Air Force Base, S.C.
4. May 1979 - January 1981, A-10 pilot, 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Woodbridge,
UK
5. January 1981 - April 1981, A-10 instructor pilot, 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron, Nellis
Air Force Base, Nev.
6. April 1981 - May 1982, A-10 weapons and tactics instructor pilot, 78th
Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Woodbridge, UK
7. May 1982 - July 1982, student - squadron officers school, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
8. July 1982 - December 1983, A-10 weapons and tactics instructor pilot, 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base, Ariz.
9. December 1983 - December 1984, assistant operations officer, 355th Tactical Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base, Ariz.
10. December 1984 - October 1985, inactive status, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center (NARS), Colo.
11. October 1985 - February 1986, safety officer, 140th Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
12. February 1986 - April 1986, A-7 operational training course, 162nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Ariz.
13. May 1986 - August 1987, A-7 instructor pilot, 120th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
14. August 1987 - November 1988, A-7 weapons and tactics instructor pilot, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley ANGB, CO
15. November 1988 - November 1991, A-7 flight examiner, 120th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
16. November 1991 - March 1992, F-16 operational training course, 184th Tactical Fighter Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.
17. March 1992 - June 1995, F-16 pilot, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley
Air National Guard Base, Colo.
18. June 1995 - June 1997, Operations Officer, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
19. June 1997 - July 1998, Commander, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley
Air National Guard Base, Colo.
20. July 1998 - March 2000, Commander, 140th Operations Group, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
21. March 2000 - October 2000, Executive Assistant, Headquarters Colorado Air
National Guard, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
22. October 2000 - May 2002, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Colorado Air National
Guard, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
23. May 2002 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters Colorado Air
National Guard, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colo.
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A-10, A-7D, and F-16C
Pilot wings from: Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with 1 device
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 devices
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 3 devices
Combat Readiness Medal with 2 devices
National Defense Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 device
Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Colorado Commendation Ribbon
Colorado Active Service Medal with 2 devices
Colorado TAG Outstanding Unit Citation
Colorado Foreign Deployment Service Ribbon with 4 devices
Pilot, Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Second Lieutenant May 3, 1975
First Lieutenant Dec 4, 1977
Captain Dec 4, 1979
Major May 23, 1989
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 4, 1994
Colonel Jun 29, 1998
Brigadier General Dec 1, 2001
(Current as of January 2003)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.