Brig. Gen. Thomas E. Kittler is Commander, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and Director, USTRANSCOM Joint Reserve Component Directorate, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Brig. Gen. Kittler advises the commander regarding reserve component policy, guidance and developments that affect 88,000 reservists in support of the USTRANSCOM global mission.
Brig. Gen. Kittler entered the Air Force in 1984, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Brig. Gen. Kittler has served as Chief of Safety, Executive Officer, Squadron Scheduler, Chief of Current Operations, Flight Commander, Chief Pilot, Squadron Commander, Operations Group Deputy Commander, and Vice Wing Commander. He has deployed in support of operations Just Cause, Desert Shield/Storm and Joint Endeavor/Forge.
From 2003 to 2005, he deployed to the CENTCOM area of responsibility in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom as the 386th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron Commander and as 386th Expeditionary Operations Group Deputy Commander at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. His previous assignment was as the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Brig. Gen. Kittler is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, C-21, KC-10, C-130HII and C-17.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
1988 Graduate Certificate-History of Strategy and Policy, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va.
1988 Squadron Officer School
2002 Air Command and Staff College
2005 Air War College
2005 Reserve Components National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2008 Operational Support Strategy and Policy Course, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2009 New Challenges in Eurasia Seminar, Alan Freed Associates, Alexandria, Va.
2009 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2009 Commander Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Ft. Dix, N.J.
2010 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Senior Executive Fellows, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2011 Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Greensboro, N.C.
2011 Master of Arts in International Relations, Salve Regina University, R.I.
2012 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2012 National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship/Public Policy, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2013 NATO Reserve Forces Integration Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2014 AFSO 21 Leadership Course, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2014 NATO Senior Officers Policy Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2015 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2015 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1984 - September 1985, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. September 1985 - January 1989, C-21, Chief of Safety, Detachment 1, 1402nd Military Airlift Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
3. January 1989 - June 1992, KC-10 Flight Commander/Executive Officer, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
4. March 1994 - August 1996, C-130HII, Chief of Current Operations/Squadron Scheduler, 64th Tactical Airlift Squadron, O'Hare IAP Air Reserve Station, Ill.
5. August 1996 - December 2002, C-130HII, Chief Pilot, 95th Airlift Squadron, General Mitchell IAP ARS, Wis.
6. December 2002 - November 2005, C-130HII, Squadron Commander, 95th Airlift Squadron, General Mitchell IAP ARS, Wis.
7. November 2005 - July 2006, C-130HII, Operations Group Deputy Commander, 440th Operations Group, General Mitchell IAP ARS, Wis.
8. July 2006 - November 2008, C-130HII, Vice Commander, 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh IAP ARS, Pa.
9. November 2008 - January 2009, C-17, Vice Commander, 512th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
10. January 2009 - October 2012, Mobilization Assistant to the Vice Commander, 3rd Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
11. October 2012 - February 2014, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
12. February 2014 - September 2015, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. September 2015 - present, Commander, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit, Mobilization Assistant to Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and Director, USTRANSCOM Joint Reserve Component Directorate, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2015 - present, Commander, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and Director, USTRANSCOM Joint Reserve Component Directorate, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Military rating: command pilot
FAA ratings: airline transport pilot and flight engineer
Flight hours: more than 4,400 military, including 134 combat and 146 combat support hours 6,000 civilian
Aircraft flown: military: T-37, T-38, C-21, KC-10, C-130HII, and C-17
Civilian: B-737, B-727, F-100, B-757, and B-767-200/300/300ER
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor device and three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device and oak leaf cluster
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal (government of Kuwait)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1984
First Lieutenant July 14, 1986
Captain July 14, 1988
Major Oct. 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 12, 2002
Colonel July 17, 2006
Brigadier General Feb. 15, 2013
(Current as of January 2016)