James Kowalski

Kowalski, Tom Whittaker, Chhiring Dorje Sherpa and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa

His grandparents were born near Wadowice in Poland.

General Kowalski entered active duty in 1980 through the ROTC program at the University of Cincinnati. He held a variety of operational commands, including a bomb squadron, an operations group, a bomb wing and an air control wing over his 35-year career. Gen Kowalski retired from active duty on 1 September 2015. His contingency and wartime experience include command of the 2nd Operations Group when they deployed B-52s for combat during operations Noble Anvil and Allied Force, and command of the 28th Bomb Wing when they deployed B-1Bs for Operation Iraqi Freedom. From January 2003 to May 2003, General Kowalski commanded the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia where he led a combined wing of B-1Bs, E-3s and KC-135s to provide strike, battle management, and air refueling for operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch. His previous staff assignments include Headquarters Air Combat Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served as Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command until October 2013, when he became Deputy Commander of U.S. Strategic Command. He retired on September 1, 2015.[1]

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Lieutenant general	Jan. 6, 2011
	Major general	May 7, 2009
	Brigadier general	Nov. 1, 2005
	Colonel	May 1, 1999
	Lieutenant colonel	Mar. 1, 1994
	Major	Jan. 1, 1990
	Captain	Mar. 14, 1983
	First lieutenant	Mar. 14, 1981
	Second lieutenant	Jun. 9, 1979

[1]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force document: "Lieutenant General James Kowalski Biography".