Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders

    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      060608-F-JZ507-138.JPGEngage On
        
        060608-F-JZ507-138.JPGBrigadier General JOHN W. BASKABrig. Gen. John W. Baska is the director of inspection, Deputy Inspector General for Inspection and Safety, Headquarters U.S. Air Force with headquarters at Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, Calif.
General Baska was born in Kansas City, Kan., in 1917. He attended elementary and high schools in that city, and graduated from Kansas State College at Manhattan, with a bachelor of science degree in engineering in 1939. He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, in September 1942.
During World War II, General Baska served as a pilot in Africa, India, Burma and China. After his return to the United States in August 1945, he was assigned as chief, Navigation Aids Division, Headquarters Air Transport Command, Washington, D.C. He participated in initial planning for establishment of the Military Air Transport Service (now the Military Airlift Command) and was assigned to that command at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., when it was formally established in 1948. In October 1951 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as deputy chief, Civil Air Division, Directorate of Plans.
He was appointed air attache to Iran and served in that country from January 1957 until August 1959. He returned to the United States to attend the National War College and upon graduation was assigned as a member of the Middle East Division, J-3, Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington. After two years on the Joint Staff, he became chief of the Counterinsurgency Operations Division, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
From February 1963 to June 1964 the general served as assistant deputy director for tactical and transport forces, and as executive officer for the Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his outstanding performance of duty during this period. In July 1964 he was assigned to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as assistant deputy chief of staff, plans and operations. General Baska also served as assistant chief of staff, Pacific Air Forces, in 1965-1966, receiving the first oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit for his outstanding performance from 1964 to 1966.
General Baska attended The George Washington University evenings from 1952-1955, earning a juris doctor law degree; Department of Defense Strategic Intelligence School in 1956, and the U.S. Air Force Special Investigations School in 1966. He holds the rating of command pilot.
In August 1966 he was assigned to the Directorate of Special Investigations in Washington, first as special assistant to the director and then as chief, Office of Inspections. In 1967 he was appointed Deputy Director of Special Investigations. He was assigned as director of inspection, Deputy Inspector General for Inspection and Safety in August 1968.
(Current as of Sept. 15, 1968)
  Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil