# Douglas M. Fraser

Douglas Malcolm Fraser (born April 16, 1950), is a United States Air Force (USAF) general who served as the Commander, United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). He was the first USAF officer to become USSOUTHCOM's combatant commander. He previously served as Deputy Commander, United States Pacific Command from April 2008 to June 24, 2009. He assumed his final assignment on June 25, 2009.

## Military career

General Fraser earned his commission upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1975. A qualified Command Pilot in fighter aircraft, his operational assignments include Europe, the Pacific, Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command. He has previously served as Commander, Space Warfare Center, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado; as well as Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, with headquarters at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

## Education

* 1975 Bachelor of Science in Political Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
* 1979 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* 1987 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* 1987 Master of Science in Political Science, Auburn University
* 1992 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
* 2004 Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard Kennedy School
* 2005 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* 2006 Pinnacle, Norfolk, Virginia

## Assignments

* August 1975 - July 1976, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
* September 1976 - March 1977, F-15 student, 405th Tactical Training Unit, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
* June 1977 - May 1980, F-15 pilot, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany
* June 1980 - June 1983, F-15 squadron weapons officer, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
* July 1983 - June 1985, flight commander, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
* July 1985 - July 1986, aide to the Commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas
* August 1986 - June 1987, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* July 1987 - July 1989, fighter programmer, Directorate of Programs and Resources, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* July 1989 - May 1991, member, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Staff Group, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* July 1991 - June 1992, Commander, Weapons and Tactics Flight, 18th Operations Support Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
* June 1992 - October 1992, Director of Operations, 44th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
* October 1992 - July 1993, Commander, 12th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
* August 1993 - June 1994, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
* July 1994 - July 1996, analysis assistant, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Requirements, Washington, D.C.
* July 1996 - June 1997, Director, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* July 1997 - January 1999, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
* February 1999 - January 2000, executive assistant to the Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
* January 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 3d Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
* April 2002 - June 2003, Commander, Space Warfare Center, Air Force Space Command, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado
* May 2003 - October 2005, Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
* October 2005 - April 2008, Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
* April 2008 - June 2009, Deputy Commander, United States Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
* June 2009 - November 2012, Commander, United States Southern Command, Miami, Florida

## Flight information

* Rating: Command pilot
* Flight hours: More than 3,100
* Aircraft flown: F-15A/B/C/D, F-15E, F-16 and C-37

## Awards and decorations

Personal decorations :
| | Defense Distinguished Service Medal |
| | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal |
| | Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
| | Legion of Merit |
| | Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| | Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster |
| | Air Force Achievement Medal |
| Unit awards ||
| | Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
| | Outstanding Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster |
| | Organizational Excellence Award with bronze oak leaf cluster |
| Campaign and service medals ||
| | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star |
| | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| Service, training, and marksmanship awards ||
| | Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
| | Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| | Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon |
| | Air Force Training Ribbon |
| Foreign awards ||
| | Order of the Sun of Peru, Grand Cross |
| | Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, Grand Officer (Dominican Republic) |
| | Order of Military Merit Antonio Nariño (Colombia) |
| | Grand Cross of the Air Force Cross of Aeronautical Merit (Colombia) |
| | Military Medal "Faith on the Cause" (Colombian Air Force) |
| | Medal of the Ministry of Defence (Colombia) |
Other accoutrements :
* U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Badge
* Master Space Operations Badge
* Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
* United States Southern Command Identification Badge

### Other foreign awards

* Chilean Joint Staff Badge

## Effective dates of promotion

Promotions :
| Rank | Date |
| General | June 25, 2009 |
| Lieutenant General | October 11, 2005 |
| Major General | August 1, 2004 |
| Brigadier General | July 1, 2001 |
| Colonel | February 1, 1995 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | April 1, 1990 |
| Major | October 1, 1986 |
| Captain | June 4, 1979 |
| First Lieutenant | June 4, 1977 |
| Second Lieutenant | June 4, 1975 |

## Succession

Military offices :
| Preceded byJames G. Stavridis | United States Southern Command July 1, 2009 – November 19, 2012 | Succeeded byJohn F. Kelly |
* Biography portal
* ↑ http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111shrg55953/pdf/CHRG-111shrg55953.pdf
* ↑ "Nominations Before the Senate Armed Service Committee, First Session, 111th Congress". fas.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-18.
* ↑ "General Douglas M. Fraser". Air Force.
* ↑ "Commander in chief of the Air Force decorates to General Fraser". Colombian Air Force. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
This article incorporates public domain material from General Douglas M. Fraser biography. United States Air Force.