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            GENERAL JOSEPH  W. RALSTONGen. Joseph W. Ralston is Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, NATO, Mons, Belgium. As Commander in Chief of U.S. European Command, he is the senior U.S. military officer and commander of a unified combatant command with an area of responsibility that includes 89 nations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He supports and advances U.S. interests and policies throughout the command's area of responsibility, and provides combat-ready forces to NATO's Allied Command Europe or other U.S. unified commands. He conducts operations unilaterally or in concert with coalition partners. The U.S. European Command is responsible for the activities of all U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps forces operating within its area of responsibility. As the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, he is in overall command of NATO's military forces in Europe -- Allied Command Europe. Responsible for safeguarding an area extending from the northern tip of Norway to the eastern border of Turkey, the SACEUR's mission is to contribute to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of the NATO member nations. In his position as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the general is also the overall commander of approximately 65,000 troops from 39 NATO and other nations participating in ongoing operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.The general entered the Air Force in 1965 through the ROTC program. His career includes operational command at squadron, wing, numbered air force and major command, as well as various influential staff and management positions at every level of the Air Force. He has been closely involved with building the U.S. Air Force of the 21st century, holding a variety of positions related to requirements and acquisition. Prior to assuming his current position, the general was the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation's second highest-ranking military officer. He is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, including 147 combat missions over Laos and North Vietnam.EDUCATION1965  Bachelor of arts degree in chemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio1976  Master of arts degree in personnel management, Central Michigan University1976  Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.1984  National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.1989  John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.ASSIGNMENTS1.  July 1965 - August 1966, student, pilot training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas2.  August 1966 - April 1967, student, F-105 combat crew training school, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.3.  April 1967 - October 1969, F-105 combat crew member, 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan4.  October 1969 - December 1969, student, F-105 Wild Weasel pilot training, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.5.  January 1970 - October 1970, F-105 Wild Weasel pilot, 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand6.  October 1970 - December 1971, F-105 Wild Weasel instructor pilot, 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.7.  December 1971 - June 1973, Fighter Requirements Officer and Project Officer for F-15 and lightweight fighter programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Requirements, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.8.  June 1973 - June 1975, Assistant Operations Officer, 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron, then Chief, Standardization and Evaluation Division, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.9.  June 1975 - June 1976, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.10.  June 1976 - July 1979, Tactical Fighter Requirements Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.11.  July 1979 - July 1980, Operations Officer, later, Commander, 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.12.  July 1980 - August 1983, Special Assistant, later, Executive Officer to the commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.13.  August 1983 - June 1984, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.14.  June 1984 - February 1986, Special Assistant for low observables technology, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.15.  February 1986 - March 1987, Commander, 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.16.  March 1987 - June 1990, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, later, Deputy Chief of Staff for Requirements, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.17.  June 1990 - December 1991, Director of Tactical Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.18.  December 1991 - July 1992, Director of Operational Requirements, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.19.  July 1992 - July 1994, Commander, Alaskan Command, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, 11th Air Force and Joint Task Force Alaska, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska20.  July 1994 - June 1995, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.21.  June 1995 - February 1996, Commander, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.22.  March 1996 - April 2000, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.23.  May 2000 - present, Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, NATO, Mons, BelgiumFLIGHT INFORMATIONRating:  Command pilotFlight hours:  More than 2,500Aircraft flown:  F-105D/F/G, F-4C/D/E, F-16A and F-15A/CMAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf clusterDistinguished Service MedalLegion of Merit with two oak leaf clustersDistinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clustersMeritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clustersAir Medal with 19 oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clustersEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant  Jul 24, 1965First Lieutenant  Jan 24, 1967Captain  Jul 24, 1968Major  Dec 1, 1973Lieutenant Colonel  Apr 1, 1978Colonel  Jun 1, 1981Brigadier General  Mar 1, 1988Major General  Aug 1, 1990Lieutenant General  Jul 13, 1992General  Jul 1, 1995(Current as of July 2000)