Gilmary M. Hostage III

Gilmary Michael "Mike" Hostage III (born April 29, 1955) is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as commander, Air Combat Command from September 13, 2011 to October 2014. He previously served as commander, United States Air Forces Central, Southwest Asia.[1] He retired from the Air Force after over 37 years of service.

Gilmary Michael Hostage III
General Gilmary Michael Hostage III
Nickname(s)Mike
Born (1955-04-29) April 29, 1955
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1977–2014
RankGeneral
Commands heldAir Combat Command
United States Air Forces Central Command
552d Air Control Wing
363rd Air Expeditionary Wing
388th Fighter Wing
56th Operations Group
71st Fighter Squadron
Battles/warsGulf War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (5)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal

Military career

As the commander of Air Combat Command, Hostage was responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. ACC operates more than 1,000 aircraft, 22 wings, 13 bases, and more than 300 operating locations worldwide with 79,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. When mobilized, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve contribute more than 700 aircraft and 51,000 people to ACC. As the Combat Air Forces lead agent, ACC develops strategy, doctrine, concepts, tactics, and procedures for air- and space-power employment. The command provides conventional and information warfare forces to all unified commands to ensure air, space and information superiority for warfighters and national decision-makers. ACC can also be called upon to assist national agencies with intelligence, surveillance and crisis response capabilities.

As the Air Component Commander for United States Central Command, Hostage was responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia.

Hostage entered the air force through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from Duke University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, and a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours. He has flown combat missions in multiple aircraft, logging more than 600 combat hours in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

In May 2012, press reports indicated Hostage ordered pilots to fly the F-22 Raptor despite problems with its oxygen system.[2] Hostage said that some of the problems the pilots encountered were simply limits of the human body, but that UAVs were not suitable for the AirSea Battle concept of the Pacific Pivot.[3][4]

Hostage has put forward the concept of a "combat cloud" for how manned and unmanned systems will work together in the USAF of the future.[5]

In 2014 Hostage said that his plans to retire the A-10 fleet would put greater demands on USAF pilots and that their readiness was crucial.[6] He also doubted the usefulness of the planned Combat Rescue Helicopter in a serious conflict against modern air defenses, and that it might be better to just use the V-22.[7]

Education

  • 1973 High School Diploma, Georgetown Preparatory School, North Bethesda, MD
  • 1977 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
  • 1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  • 1985 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
  • 1993 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  • 1999 National Security Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
  • 2003 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  • 2004 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  • 2007 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Newport, R.I.

Assignments

Flight Information

  • Rating: Command pilot
  • Flight hours: More than 4,000
  • Aircraft flown: T-38, F-15A/B/C/D, F-16A/B/C/D/CJ, E-3B/C AWACS, MC-12W, F-22, and T-6A

Awards and decorations

Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with four bronze oak leaf clusters)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with two bronze oak leaf clusters)
Air Medal (with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster)
Aerial Achievement Medal (with three bronze oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal (with one bronze oak leaf cluster)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with valor device and three bronze oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (with three bronze oak leaf clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze service star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with one bronze service star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Foreign Operations Missions Medal (United Arab Emirates)[8]
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Effective dates of promotion

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force document: "General Gilmary M. Hostage III Biography".

  1. Unknown (October 1, 2010). "Biographies: GENERAL GILMARY MICHAEL HOSTAGE III". www.af.mil. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  2. Some Pilots Refuse to Fly as Stealth Jet's Oxygen Problems Worsen, by David Axe, Danger Room, Wired Magazine, 6 May 2012
  3. "F-22 making case for UAVs?"
  4. "USAF: Current unmanned aircraft irrelevant in the Pacific."
  5. ""Why Air Force Needs Lots Of F-35s: Gen. Hostage On The 'Combat Cloud'."". Archived from the original on 2013-01-13. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
  6. Everstine, Brian (15 September 2014). "ACC, PACAF focused on Pacific pivot". www.airforcetimes.com. Gannett. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  7. Whittle, Richard (September 17, 2014). "A Freed Hostage: ACC Commander's Parting Shots". breakingdefense.com. Breaking Media, Inc. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  8. Air Combat Command Public Affairs (16 November 2011). "COMACC receives Foreign Operations Missions Medal". United States Air Force. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
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