# Order of the Sword (United States)

The Order of the Sword is an honor awarded within the United States Air Force. It is a special program where noncommisioned officers of a command recognize individuals they hold in high esteem and wish to honor. Those selected for induction are usually honored during a formal ceremony at a dining-in. The honor can be awarded at the unit level or (more rarely) at the Air Force level.
The U.S. Army and Marine Corps lack such an honor bestowed by the enlisted corps upon the officer corps. The U.S. Navy has the title of "Honorary Chief Petty Officer."
The origin of the tradition is that:
   The Order of the Sword recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. Only seven other individuals have been so honored since 1978. The ceremonial presentation was adopted from the Royal Order of the Sword and passed to the United States during the Revolutionary War. However, it lay dormant until it was reinstituted in its current form in 1967.
   The original order of the sword was patterned after two orders of chivalry founded during the Middle Ages in Europe: the (British) Royal Order of the Sword and the Swedish Military Order of the Sword, still in existence today. In 1522, King Gustavus I of Sweden ordered the noblemen commissioned by him to appoint officers to serve him, and these people became known as the noncommissioned officers.

## Recipients

Source:
| Number | Recipient | MAJCOM/FOA | Date |
| 1 | Brig Gen Roland J. Barnick | MAC | May 26, 1967 |
| 2 | Gen Howell M. Estes II | MAC | December 20, 1967 |
| 3 | Brig Gen Gilbert L. Curtis | MAC | June 18, 1968 |
| 4 | Brig Gen William V. McBride | MAC | February 26, 1969 |
| 5 | Col Reid J. Anderson | MAC | July 26, 1969 |
| 6 | Col Gilbert G. Smith, Jr. | MAC | July 29, 1969 |
| 7 | Col Thomas J. Arbogast | MAC | May 12, 1970 |
| 8 | Brig Gen Clare T. Ireland, Jr. | MAC | July 23, 1970 |
| 9 | Brig Gen John H. Germeraad | MAC | October 2, 1970 |
| 10 | Brig Gen John F. Gonge | MAC | February 24, 1972 |
| 11 | Gen Jack J. Catton | MAC | April 20, 1971 |
| 12 | Col Leonard V. Gillespie | MAC | September 29, 1971 |
| 13 | Honorable F. Edward Hebert | MAC | October 28, 1971 |
| 14 | Maj Gen Archie M. Burke | NORAD | February 11, 1972 |
| 15 | Brig Gen Richard M. Baughn | USAFE | March 20, 1972 |
| 16 | Maj Gen William G. Moore, Jr. | MAC | May 6, 1972 |
| 17 | Col Tedd L. Bishop | MAC | July 14, 1972 |
| 18 | Maj Gen Jerry D. Page | ATC | July 25, 1972 |
| 19 | Gen George B. Simler | ATC | August 25, 1972 |
| 20 | Brig Gen Van N. Backman | MAC | September 8, 1972 |
| 21 | Col Robert H. Campbell | MAC | June 11, 1973 |
| 22 | Maj Gen Frank M. Madsen, Jr. | ATC | January 24, 1974 |
| 23 | Maj Gen Frank W. Elliott, Jr | ATC | July 26, 1974 |
| 24 | Col James I. Baginski | PACAF | July 29, 1974 |
| 25 | Brig Gen Irbey B. Jarvis, Jr. | AFLC | October 31, 1974 |
| 26 | Brig Gen Thomas M. Sadler | MAC | March 12, 1975 |
| 27 | Maj Gen Lester T. Kearney | MAC | May 21, 1975 |
| 28 | Col Donald A. Michela | PACAF | August 11, 1975 |
| 29 | Brig Gen Harry A. Morris | MAC | September 19, 1975 |
| 30 | Maj Gen Leroy J. Manor | PACAF | April 19, 1976 |
| 31 | Brig Gen Emil N. Block | MAC | June 9, 1976 |
| 32 | Brig Gen James E. McAdoo | AFRES | October 11, 1976 |
| 33 | Lt Gen John W. Roberts | ATC | November 12, 1976 |
| 34 | Gen Paul K. Carlton | MAC | February 11, 1977 |
| 35 | Gen Louis L. Wilson Jr. | PACAF | March 18, 1977 |
| 36 | Gen Russell E. Dougherty | SAC | April 5, 1977 |
| 37 | Maj Gen Ralph S. Saunders | MAC | May 6, 1977 |
| 38 | Col James T. Albritton | USAFE | May 6, 1977 |
| 39 | Maj Gen Alden G. Glauch | MAC | July 19, 1977 |
| 40 | Brig Gen Kenneth D. Burns | AFSS | October 20, 1977 |
| 41 | Maj Gen Andrew P. Iosue | ATC | March 3, 1978 |
| 42 | Gen Robert J. Dixon | TAC | March 10, 1978 |
| 43 | Brig Gen James L. Wade | AFRES | March 11, 1978 |
| 44 | Maj Gen Thomas A. Aldrich | MAC | March 30, 1978 |
| 45 | Lt Gen Thomas W. Morgan | AFSC | April 22, 1978 |
| 46 | Col Sharman R. Stevenson | PACAF | May 31, 1978 |
| 47 | Gen David C. Jones | SAC | May 31, 1978 |
| 48 | Col Dale L. Oderman | MAC | June 1, 1978 |
| 49 | Lt Gen James D. Hughes | TAC | June 3, 1978 |
| 50 | Maj Gen Rupert H. Burris | AFCS | July 19, 1978 |
| 51 | Maj Gen Paul M. Myers | AFSC | September 14, 1978 |
| 52 | Lt Gen Bryon M. Shotts | SAC | October 10, 1978 |
| 53 | Lt Gen Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., (Ret) | TAC | November 10, 1978 |
| 54 | Maj Gen William Lyon | AFRES | March 3, 1979 |
| 55 | Maj Gen Benjamin F. Starr, Jr. | MAC | April 10, 1979 |
| 56 | Col Anthony J. Dibaggio | USAFSS | April 19, 1979 |
| 57 | Lt Gen Thomas P. Stafford | AFSC | May 5, 1979 |
| 58 | Brig Gen Pedroli Attilio | ATC | December 6, 1979 |
| 59 | Maj Gen William C. Norris | USAFE | April 9, 1980 |
| 60 | Maj Gen LeRoy W. Svendsen, Jr. | AFMPC | April 10, 1980 |
| 61 | Maj Gen Robert E. Sadler | AFCS | April 12, 1980 |
| 62 | Lt Gen Winfield Scott, Jr. | AAC | May 16, 1980 |
| 63 | CMSAF Donald L. Harlow, (Ret) | TAC | May 20, 1980 |
| 64 | Mr. Robert (Bob) Hope | MAC | June 10, 1980 |
| 65 | Col Thomas G. McInerney | PACAF | July 22, 1980 |
| 66 | Gen Curtis E. LeMay | SAC | September 18, 1980 |
| 67 | Gen Alton D. Slay | AFSC | October 18, 1980 |
| 68 | Brig Gen Sidney S. Novaresi | AFRES | March 14, 1981 |
| 69 | Brig Gen Alan G. Sharp | AFRES | April 4, 1981 |
| 70 | Gen Richard H. Ellis | SAC | May 8, 1981 |
| 71 | Maj Gen John T. Guice | ANG | May 13, 1981 |
| 72 | Lt Gen Walter D. Druen, Jr. | USAFE | May 16, 1981 |
| 73 | Lt Gen Kenneth L. Tallman | USAFA | May 21, 1981 |
| 74 | Gen Robert E. Huyser | MAC | June 19, 1981 |
| 75 | Brig Gen Staryl C. Austin, (Ret) | ANG | October 30, 1981 |
| 76 | Maj Gen Doyle E. Larson | ESC | March 27, 1982 |
| 77 | Col Bruce M. Purvine | MAC | June 3, 1982 |
| 78 | Maj Gen Norma Brown | ATC | June 11, 1982 |
| 79 | Brig Gen Albert J. Kaehn, Jr. | MAC | July 27, 1982 |
| 80 | Maj Gen Kenneth L. Peek | AFMPC | November 5, 1982 |
| 81 | Col Lester R. Melott, Jr. | ESC | February 13, 1983 |
| 82 | Lt Gen Richard C. Henry | AFSC | April 16, 1983 |
| 83 | Lt Gen Robert W. Bazley | USAFE | May 5, 1983 |
| 84 | Gen James R. Allen | MAC | May 18, 1983 |
| 85 | Lt Gen Charles L. Donley, Jr. | PACAF | May 28, 1983 |
| | Lt Gen Charles L. Donley, Jr. | USAFE | February 21, 1987 |
| 86 | Lt Gen Robert T. Herres | AFCC | August 27, 1983 |
| 87 | Gen Thomas M. Ryan, Jr. | ATC | September 3, 1983 |
| 88 | Gen W. L. Creech | TAC | February 4, 1984 |
| 89 | Gen Robert T. Marsh | AFSC | June 16, 1984 |
| 90 | Gen James V. Hartinger | NORAD/SPACECOM29 | June 1984 |
| 91 | Lt Gen James W. Stansberry | AFSC | September 2, 1984 |
| 92 | Maj Gen Donald W. Bennett | MAC | October 12, 1984 |
| 93 | Gen Bennie L. Davis | SAC | October 18, 1984 |
| 94 | Maj Gen John E. Taylor, Jr. | USAFR | October 27, 1984 |
| 95 | Maj Gen John B. Conaway | ANG | April 10, 1985 |
| 96 | Brig Gen Regis F. A. Urschler | ESC | May 1, 1985 |
| 97 | Maj Gen Cornelius Nugteren | AFLC | May 31, 1985 |
| 98 | Col Paul E. Landers, Jr. | MAC | June 17, 1985 |
| 99 | Maj Gen Sloan R. Gill | AFRES | October 27, 1985 |
| 100 | Col Robert D. Acres | AFLC | November 2, 1985 |
| 101 | Gen John L. Piotrowski | TAC | January 24, 1986 |
| 102 | Col James D. Elmer | MAC | February 8, 1986 |
| 103 | Gen Charles A. Gabriel | USAF | March 22, 1986 |
| 104 | Maj Gen Raymond A. Matera | ANG | April 18, 1986 |
| 105 | Brig Gen George E. Chapman | MAC | April 26, 1986 |
| 106 | Brig Gen Vernon J. Kondra | MAC | June 14, 1986 |
| 107 | Col Louis V. Pelini | MAC | July 25, 1986 |
| 108 | Maj Gen William J. Breckner, Jr. | USAFE. | August 30, 1986 |
| 109 | Gen Earl T. O'Loughlin | AFLC | September 19, 1986 |
| 110 | Brig Gen Floyd A. Hargrove | MAC | October 11, 1986 |
| 111 | Maj Gen Gerald L. Prather | AFCC | October 17, 1986 |
| 112 | Lt Gen Thomas C. Richards | AU | November 1, 1986 |
| 113 | Maj Gen Chris O. Divich | ATC | January 15, 1987 |
| 114 | Maj Gen Donald D. Brown | MAC | March 31, 1987 |
| 115 | Maj Gen Donald Snyder | PACAF | April 8, 1987 |
| 116 | Gen Lawrence A. Skantze | AFSC | April 25, 1987 |
| 117 | Brig Gen Richard S. Beyea, Jr. | AFOSI | September 25, 1987 |
| 118 | Col Richard C. Youngs | AFRES | September 26, 1987 |
| 119 | Maj Gen Jack W. Sheppard | MAC | October 2, 1987 |
| 120 | Lt Gen Edward L. Tixier | PACAF | January 11, 1988 |
| 121 | Lt Gen David L. Nichols | AAC | May 7, 1988 |
| 122 | Congressman Sonny Montgomery | AFRES | May 12, 1988 |
| 123 | Gen Jack I. Gregory | PACAF | June 21, 1988 |
| 124 | Maj Gen Ralph E. Spraker | AFSPACECOM | July 1, 1988 |
| 125 | Honorable Caspar W. Weinberger | USAF | November 19, 1988 |
| 126 | Maj Gen Melvin G. Alkire | AFCOMS | January 14, 1989 |
| 127 | Gen William L. Kirk | USAFE | March 18, 1989 |
| 128 | Brig Gen Alfred P. Bunting | ANG | March 28, 1989 |
| 129 | Gen Alfred G. Hansen | AFLC | April 28, 1989 |
| 130 | Maj Gen Paul H. Martin | ESC | July 14, 1989 |
| 131 | Gen Duane H. Cassidy | MAC | August 18, 1989 |
| 132 | Maj Gen Fredric F. Doppelt | AFSC | October 7, 1989 |
| 133 | Maj Gen James C. Wahleithner | AFRES | October 14, 1989 |
| 134 | Maj Gen Vernon Chong | ATC | December 2, 1989 |
| 135 | Gen Larry D. Welch | USAF | March 3, 1990 |
| 136 | Gen Bernard P. Randolph | AFSC | March 17, 1990 |
| 137 | Col Edmund C. Morrisey, Jr., (Ret) | ANG | March 20, 1990 |
| 138 | Gen Robert D. Russ | TAC | April 20, 1990 |
| 139 | Maj Gen Robert B. Patterson, (Ret) | MAC | April 20, 1990 |
| 140 | Lt Gen Robert C. Oaks | ATC | June 9, 1990 |
| 141 | Maj Gen Larry N. Tibbetts | ATC | June 20, 1990 |
| 142 | Maj Gen Roger P. Scheer | AFRES | August 25, 1990 |
| 143 | Maj Gen Paul R. Stoney, (Ret) | AFCC | September 25, 1990 |
| 144 | Gen Michael J. Dugan | USAFE | November 10, 1990 |
| 145 | Lt Gen James B. Davis | PACAF | November 24, 1990 |
| 146 | Maj Gen Paul A. Harvey | ATC | February 2, 1991 |
| 147 | Lt Gen Charles R. Hamm | USAFA | April 26, 1991 |
| 148 | Lt Gen Gordon E. Fornell | AFSC | May 11, 1991 |
| 149 | Gen John T. Chain, Jr. | SAC | January 13, 1991 |
| 150 | Lt Gen Donald L. Cromer | AFSC | May 17, 1991 |
| 151 | Col Richard F. Law | AFOSI | June 20, 1991 |
| 152 | Maj Gen Richard M. Pascoe | TAC | July 16, 1991 |
| 153 | Maj Gen Joseph A. Ahearn | USAF | August 21, 1991 |
| 154 | Lt Gen Richard J. Trzaskoma | MAC | September 27, 1991 |
| 155 | Lt Gen Robert H. Ludwig | AFCC | September 28, 1991 |
| 156 | Gen Charles C. McDonald | AFLC | February 29, 1992 |
| 157 | Lt Gen Charles A. Horner | TAC | March 14, 1992 |
| 158 | Lt Gen Clifford H. Rees, Jr. | USAFE | July 25, 1992 |
| 159 | Col Charles L. Fox | PACAF | October 20, 1992 |
| 160 | Gen Hansford T. Johnson | AMC | February 6, 1993 |
| 161 | Gen Charles G. Boyd | AU | February 25, 1993 |
| 162 | Maj Gen John S. Fairfield | AFCC | May 11, 1993 |
| 163 | Maj Gen Philip G. Killey | ANG | November 9, 1993 |
| 164 | Gen Ronald Fogleman | AMC | May 14, 1994 |
| 165 | Maj Gen Robert S. Deligatti | USAFE | April 29, 1994 |
| 166 | Lt Gen Bradley C. Hosmer | USAFA | April 29, 1994 |
| 167 | Gen Ronald W. Yates | AFMC | March 5, 1994 |
| 168 | Maj Gen Robert A. McIntosh | AFRES | July 29, 1994 |
| 169 | Gen Merrill McPeak | HQ USAF | August 20, 1994 |
| 170 | Gen Robert L. Rutherford | PACAF | August 23, 1994 |
| 171 | Gen Henry Viccellio | AETC | October 1, 1994 |
| 172 | Maj Gen Kenneth A. Minihan | AIA | October 24, 1994 |
| 173 | Lt Gen Edward P. Barry, Jr. | AFMC | November 18, 1994 |
| 174 | Gen Thomas Moorman | AFSPC | November 28, 1994 |
| 175 | Gen John Michael Loh | ACC | February 25, 1995 |
| 176 | Lt Gen Malcolm B. Armstrong | AMC | September 23, 1995 |
| 177 | Gen James L. Jamerson | USAFE | November 18, 1995 |
| 178 | Gen Joseph W. Ashy | AFSPC | August 17, 1996 |
| 179 | Col John E. Killeen | AFSPA | September 14, 1996 |
| 180 | Dr. William J. Perry | HQ USAF | October 19, 1996 |
| 181 | Lt Gen James E. Sherrard III | AFRES | November 2, 1996 |
| 182 | Maj Gen James L. Hobson, Jr. | AFSOC | January 24, 1997 |
| 183 | Gen John G. Lorber | PACAF | June 30, 1997 |
| 184 | Lt Gen Paul E. Stein | USAFA | July 12, 1997 |
| 185 | Maj Gen Donald W. Shepperd | NGB | November 4, 1997 |
| 186 | Col John L. Hayes | AFWA | April 4, 1998 |
| 187 | Gen Michael E. Ryan | USAFE | April 17, 1998 |
| 188 | Gen Walter Kross | AMC | July 18, 1998 |
| 189 | Gen Howell M. Estes III | AFSPC | August 7, 1998 |
| 190 | Lt Gen Kenneth E. Eickmann | AFMC | August 15, 1998 |
| 191 | Gen Richard E. Hawley | ACC | April 17, 1999 |
| 192 | Gen Lloyd W. Newton | AETC | June 18, 1999 |
| 193 | Col Raymond W. Owens III | AFOSI | October 21, 1999 |
| 194 | Maj Gen Paul A. Weaver Jr. | ANG | November 22, 1999 |
| 195 | Gen. Charles R. Holland | AFSOC | January 22, 2000 |
| 196 | Gen George T. Babbitt | AFMC | March 27, 2000 |
| 197 | Gen John P. Jumper | USAFE | April 8, 2000 |
| 198 | Brig Gen (Ret) Steven A. Roser | AMC | April 14, 2000 |
| 199 | Lt Gen Tad J. Oelstrom | AFSOC | June 7, 2000 |
| 200 | Brig Gen Richard A. Coleman | AFSFC | August 24, 2000 |
| 201 | Honorable F. Whitten Peters | HQ USAF | December 16, 2000 |
| 202 | Brig Gen (Ret) Heinie Aderholt | AFSOC | January 18, 2001 |
| 203 | Gen Patrick Gamble | PACAF | April 6, 2001 |
| 204 | Maj Gen David E. Tanzi | AFRES | June 2, 2001 |
| 205 | Gen Charles T. Robertson | AMC | November 3, 2001 |
| 206 | Gen Ralph E. Eberhart | AFSC | January 25, 2002 |
| 207 | Lt Gen Maxwell C. Bailey | AFSOC | March 15, 2002 |
| 208 | Gen Lester L. Lyles | AFMC | November 7, 2002 |
| 209 | Gen Gregory S. Martin | USAFE | March 30, 2003 |
| 210 | Maj Gen Timothy J. McMahon | ACC | October 22, 2004 |
| 211 | Honorable James G. Roche (SECAF) | HQ USAF | September 13, 2004 |
| 212 | Gen William J. Begert | PACAF | June 30, 2004 |
| 213 | Gen Hal M. Hornburg | ACC | October 22, 2004 |
| 214 | Gen Paul V. Hester | AFSOC | November 5, 2004 |
| 215 | Lt Gen John D. Hopper, Jr. | AETC | December 10, 2004 |
| 216 | Gen Donald G. Cook | AETC | June 14, 2005 |
| 217 | Maj Gen Tommy Crawford | 11th Wing | July 22, 2005 |
| 218 | Gen. John W. Handy | AMC | July 29, 2005 |
| 219 | Gen Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong | USAFE | August 26, 2005 |
| 220 | Brig Gen Francis X. Taylor | AFOSI | September 16, 2005 |
| 221 | Lt. Gen. Daniel James III | ANG | November 16, 2005 |
| 222 | Gen Lance W. Lord | AFSPC | February 11, 2006 |
| 223 | Gen Duncan McNabb | AMC | September 16, 2007 |
| 224 | Lt Gen Michael W. Wooley | AFSOC | September 21, 2007 |
| 225 | Gen Ronald E. Keys | ACC | September 28, 2007 |
| 226 | Gen William T. Hobbins | USAFE | November 17, 2007 |
| 227 | Gen Bruce Carlson | AFMC | December 6, 2007 |
| 228 | Gen William R. Looney III | AETC | May 30, 2008 |
| 229 | Col. Francis M. Mungavin | USAFR | October 24, 2008 |
| 230 | Lt Gen Charles L. Johnson II | AFMC | June 20, 2008 |
| 231 | Lt Gen Robert D. Bishop, Jr. | USAFE | July 19, 2008 |
| 232 | Lt Gen Craig R. McKinley | ANG | November 1, 2008 |
| 233 | Gen Stephen R. Lorenz | AETC | July 16, 2010 |
| 234 | Gen Roger A. Brady | USAFE | September 7, 2010 |
| 235 | Lt. Gen Donald C. Wurster | AFSOC | November 19, 2010 |
| 236 | Gen Gary L. North | PACAF | August 26, 2011 |
| 237 | Lt. Gen Michael C. Gould | USAFA | March 19, 2012 |
| 238 | Gen Donald J. Hoffman | AFMC | March 30, 2012 |
| 239 | Maj Gen Alfred K. Flowers | AETC | April 6, 2012 |
| 240 | Gen Raymond E. Johns, Jr. | AMC | November 28, 2012 |
| 241 | Gen Norton A. Schwartz | AFSOC | February 1, 2013 |
| 242 | Brig Gen Kevin J. Jacobsen | AFOSI | July 8, 2013 |
| 243 | Honorable Michael B. Donley (SECAF) | USAF | September 13, 2013 |
| 244 | Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski | AFGSC | November 6, 2014 |
| 245 | Gen Frank Gorenc | USAFE | April 7, 2016 |
| 246 | Lt. Gen Stanley E. Clarke III | ANG | April 17, 2016 |
| 247 | Gen Mark A. Welsh III | USAF | April 22, 2016 |
| 248 | Lt. Gen James F. Jackson | USAFR | July 13, 2016 |
| 249 | Gen Herbert J. "Hawk" Carlisle | ACC | October 27, 2016 |
| 250 | Lt. Gen Bradley A. Heithold | AFSOC | November 18, 2016 |
| 251 | Brig Gen Keith M. Givens | AFOSI | May 19, 2017 |
| 252 | Maj Gen (Ret) Leonard A. Patrick | AETC | February 9, 2018 |
| 253 | Lt. Gen Darryl Roberson | AETC | September 13, 2018 |
| 254 | Gen Lori J. Robinson | USAF | August 25, 2019 |
| 255 | Gen David L. Goldfein | USAF | February 27, 2020 |
| 256 | Gen James M. Holmes | ACC | August 26, 2020 |
| 257 | Gen Maryanne Miller | AMC | April 23, 2021 |
| 258 | Gen (Ret) Robin Rand | AFSGC | April 23, 2021 |
| 259 | Gen Anthony J. Cotton | AU | April 1, 2022 |
| 260 | Gen Timothy M. Ray | AFGSC | May 11, 2022 |
| 261 | Gen Arnold W. Bunch Jr. | AFMC | May 13, 2022 |
| 262 | Lt Gen Richard W. Scobee | AFRC | July 12, 2022 |
| 263 | Gen Mark D. Kelly | ACC | August 30, 2022 |
| 264 | Lt Gen (Ret) Marshall B. Webb | AFSOC/AETC | October 15, 2022 |
| 265 | Gen Kenneth S. Wilsbach | PACAF | February 8, 2024 |
| 266 | Lt Gen Michael A. Loh | ANG | February 15, 2024 |
| 267 | Gen (Ret) Tod D. Wolters | USAFE-AFAFRICA | April 9, 2024 |
| 268 | Lt Gen Richard M. Clark | USAFA | May 11, 2024 |
| 269 | Lt Gen Ricky N. Rupp | PACAF | October 4, 2024 |