BRIGADIER GENERAL WALLACE F. PICKARD, JR.
Retired Effective 24 Sep 01
Brigadier General Wallace F. Pickard Jr. is the commander of the 108th Air Refueling Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
He is responsible for two flying squadrons, the 141st Air Refueling Squadron and the 150th Air Refueling Squadron, both flying the KC-135E Stratotanker, and 19 support units with more than 1,400 members.
The 108th Air Refueling Wing is a reserve component of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command and one of only three 'Super Tanker Wings' in the Air National Guard.
The general received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps and entered the Air Force in May 1969.
After earning his pilot wings, General Pickard completed combat crew training in the
KC-135A and subsequently the KC-135E. While periodically assigned temporary duty in Southeast Asia, he flew more than 120 air refueling sorties and logged more than 335 combat hours.
He joined the 170th Air Refueling Group at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., directly from active duty shortly after the unit's conversion to the KC-135 in 1977. He is a command pilot with more than 7,000 flying hours.
EDUCATION:
1969 Bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering, Virginia
Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg
1974 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1981 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1984 National Security Management Course
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. May 1969 - May 1970, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. May 1970 - September 1970, student, combat crew training, KC-135, Castle Air Force
Base, Calif.
3. September 1970 - July 1976, co-pilot, aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and
standardization and evaluation aircraft commander, KC-135, 904th Air Refueling
Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
4. July 1976 - June 1977, chief instructor pilot, 905th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks
Air Force Base, N.D.
5. June 1977 - February 1978, air operations officer, 170th Air Refueling Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
6. February 1978 - January 1980, operations training officer, 170th Air Refueling Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
7. January 1980 - February 1987, chief standardization and evaluation, 170th Air Refueling Heavy Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
8. February 1987 - February 1989, chief operations and training, 170th Air Refueling Heavy Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
9. February 1989 - March 1992, operations staff officer, 170th Air Refueling Heavy Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
10. March 1992 - October 1993, deputy commander for operations, 170th Air Refueling Group, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
11. October 1993 - July 1995, vice commander, 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire Air Force
Base, N.J.
7. July 1995 - present, commander, 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 7,000
Aircraft flown: KC-135A/Q/E, T-41, T-37, T-38, C-131 and C-26A
Pilot wings from: Williams Air Force Base, Calif.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with six oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:
Federal Employee
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Apr. 28, 1969
First Lieutenant Aug. 27, 1970
Captain Apr. 28, 1972
Major Oct. 22, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel Jun. 4, 1986
Colonel Dec. 1, 1992
Brigadier General Sep. 25, 1996
(Current as of December 2000)
The date of publication
indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily
reflect the date of printing.
Back
