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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      Brig. Gen. Stephen J. NesterEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
                
                Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                February 12, 1992First Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 March 15, 1994Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          October 08, 1998Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            April 20, 2005Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               August 23, 2011Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          September 01, 2016Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                October 01, 2022Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
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        Brig. Gen. Stephen J. NesterBrigadier General STEPHEN J. NESTERBrig. Gen. Stephen J. Nester is the Commander, 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit with headquarters at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. He is responsible for the combat readiness of approximately 1,300 Air Force reservists and 24 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Whiteman AFB and a geographically separated unit, the 476th Fighter Group at Moody AFB, Georgia.
Prior to his role as 442nd FW Commander, Brig. Gen. Nester was Mobilization Assistant to the A3/A6 Pacific Air Forces Director. In this capacity, he advised and coordinated with numbered air forces and various wings to facilitate all air, cyber, and space operations in the Indo-Pacific Command theater.
Brig. Gen. Nester received his commission from Officer Candidate School in February 1992 and entered the Air Force Reserve subsequently at Grissom AFB, Indiana. He is a veteran of numerous combat operations and contingencies in support of national objectives.
Brig. Gen. Nester is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in the A-10, and has flown in support of Operations Deny Flight, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. In his civilian employment, Brig. Gen. Nester is a Boeing 777 first officer for a major airline.**EDUCATION**
1991 Bachelor of Science, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2002 Air to Ground Operations School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., by correspondence**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. February 1992–February 1993, Student Pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. May 1993–August 1993, A-10 Student Pilot, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. August 1993–August 1994, A-10 Pilot, 45th Fighter Squadron, Grissom AFB, Ind. (July 1994–July 1994, Operation Deny Flight, Aviano Air Base, Italy)
4. August 1994–August 2001, A-10 Pilot, Aircrew Flight Equipment Officer, 303rd Fighter Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo. (April 1995–April 1995 and December 1996–January1997, Operation Deny Flight, October 1998–October 1998, Southern Watch, and January 2000, Northern Watch, Aviano AB, Italy, Al Jaber, Kuwait, Incirlik AB, Turkey)
5. August 2001–August 2008, A-10 Flight Commander, 303rd FS, Whiteman AFB, Mo. (February 2003–February 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom and May 2006–June 2006, May 2008–June 2008 and December 2011–March 2012, Operation Enduring Freedom, Tallil AB, Iraq, Kirkuk AB, Iraq, and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
6. August 2008–September 2011, A-10 Assistant Deputy of Operations, 303rd FS, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
7. August 2011–September 2013, Commander, 303rd FS, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
8. September 2013–September 2016, Deputy Group Commander, 442nd Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
9. September 2016–September 2018, J7 and J35 Senior Joint Operations Officer, Suffolk, Va.
10. September 2018–December 2020, Vice Wing Commander, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
11. January 2021–November 2021, Mobilization Assistant to Pacific Air Forces A3, Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
12. December 2021–present, Commander, 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating:  command pilot
Flight hours:  more than 3,000
Aircraft flown:  T-38, A-10 and OA-10**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver and four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS**
Second Lieutenant Feb. 12, 1992
First Lieutenant March 15, 1994
Captain Oct 8, 1998
Major April 20, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 23, 2011
Colonel Sept. 1, 2016
Brigadier General Oct. 1, 2022
(Current as of February 2023)
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