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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      This is the official portrait of Brig. Gen. Houston R. Cantwell.Effective Dates of Promotion
                
                Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                May 22, 1994First Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 June 01, 1996Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          June 01, 1998Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            January 01, 2005Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               June 01, 2008Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          July 01, 2012Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                August 02, 2020Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
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        This is the official portrait of Brig. Gen. Houston R. Cantwell.Brigadier General HOUSTON R. CANTWELLBrig. Gen. Houston R. Cantwell is Commander, Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Brig. Gen. Cantwell leads more than 3,300 Airmen training 100,000 cadets at 1,370 global locations. As the Air Force’s largest officer accessioning source, the Holm Center includes 15,000 cadets at 500 colleges and universities nationwide for Air Force ROTC, 3,500 cadets annually attending Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB and more than 85,000 cadets in 870 high schools globally supporting Air Force Junior ROTC. The Holm Center produces more than 85% of the Air Force and Space Force’s line officers, chaplains, judge advocates and medical officers.
Brig. Gen. Cantwell was commissioned in 1994 as a distinguished graduate of the University of Virginia Air Force ROTC program. He has commanded at multiple levels including two combat units, first as Commander of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, and later, was the initial Commander of the 732nd Operations Group at Creech AFB, Nevada. In addition, he served as the Wing Commander of the 49th Wing at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. He has performed staff duties at the Pentagon, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Forces Japan. Most recently, he served as the Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Alliance Ground Surveillance Force.
Brig. Gen. Cantwell is a command pilot with more than 2,100 flying hours, including more than 400 combat hours, primarily in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and MQ-9 Reaper.**EDUCATION**
1994 Bachelor of Science, Systems Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Master of Arts, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2006 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Master of Arts, Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Arts, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2017 Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, San Diego, Calif.**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. September 1994–June 1996, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. July 1996–May 1997, Student, F-16 Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. May 1997–February 1999, F-16CG Aircraft Commander, Osan Air Base, South Korea
4. February 1999–June 2000, F-16CG Aircraft Commander, Moody AFB, Ga.
5. July 2000–June 2002, Intern and Graduate Student, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. July 2002–July 2005, F-16CJ Instructor Pilot, later, Flight Commander and Wing Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Misawa AB, Japan
7. August 2005–July 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. July 2006–August 2007, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. August 2007-March 2009, Staff Officer, Policy and Doctrine and Operations Divisions, Third Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
10. March 2009–May 2010, Executive Officer to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. May 2010–May 2011, Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
12. June 2011–June 2012, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2012–August 2012, Student, MQ-9 Transition Course, Holloman AFB, N.M.
14. September 2012–March 2014, Commander, 732nd Operations Group, Creech AFB, Nev.
15. March 2014–July 2016, Director of Operations, U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan
16. July 2016–July 2018, Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
17. July 2018–July 2020, Vice Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
18. July 2020–July 2022, Commanding General, NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force, Sigonella AB, Italy
19. July 2022-present, Commander, Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development, Maxwell AFB, Ala.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. March 2014–July 2016, Director of Operations, U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota, Japan, as a colonel
2. July 2020–July 2022, Commanding General, NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force, Sigonella, Italy, as a brigadier general**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating:  command pilot
Flight hours:  more than 2,100, including more than 400 combat hours
Aircraft flown:  T-37, T-38, F-16, RQ-4D and MQ-9**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of October 2022)
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