Jeffrey J . Schloesser Jeffrey J . Schloesser , USA is a retired Major General and the former President of Aviation Worldwide Services ( AAR CORP ) . He currently runs Jeff Schloesser Consulting . Schloesser retired from the Army in August 2010 as the Director of Army Aviation , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , G3 / 5 / 7 and former commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell , Kentucky . Schloesser took command of the 101st from Lieutenant General Thomas R . Turner II during a change of command ceremony at Fort Campbell on November 10 , 2006 . Schloesser led the 101st / Combined Joint Task Force - 101 in Afghanistan from April 2008 to June 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . This command was the fifth time Schloesser has served with the 101st Airborne during his Army career . Military career . Schloesser enlisted in the US Army in 1976 and was commissioned an officer into the Army after attending Officer Candidate School in 1977 . He first served as a platoon leader of B Company of the 293rd Combat Engineer Battalion ( Heavy ) in Baumholder , Germany . He continued to serve as an Engineer , Army Aviator , Middle East Foreign area officer , Special Operations Aviator , and Army Strategist . He commanded the 1st and 2nd Special Operations Aviation Battalions ( both of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ) and 12th Aviation Brigade ( V Corps ) . Schloesser served in Germany , South Korea , Jordan , and Kuwait , as well as commanding deployed task forces in Haiti , Albania , Kosovo , Iraq , and Afghanistan . He also served as a Political Military Officer at the U . S . Department of State . In August 2000 he was assigned as Chief , Office of Military Cooperation , Kuwait , United States Central Command . In October 2001 he started and became the first Chief , War on Terrorism Strategic Planning Cell , J - 5 , the Joint Staff . During Operation Iraqi Freedom ( June 2003 - June 2004 ) , he served as Assistant Division Commander ( Support ) , 101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault ) . From July 2004 until July 2005 Schloesser was Director , Army Aviation Task Force , Headquarters , Department of the Army . Schloesser most recently served as Deputy Director for Strategic Operational Planning , National Counterterrorism Center , from July 2005 to November 2006 , when he took command of the 101st . Education and training . Schloesser received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science , Philosophy and Geography from the University of Kansas and an MSFS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service . He was a Senior Service College Fellow at the John F . Kennedy School of Government , Harvard University . Schloesser graduated from Officer Candidate School in 1977 . Schloesser is also a student of Arabic , German , and French . U . S . Decorations and Badges . Schloesser ' s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal ( with oak leaf cluster ) , the Legion of Merit , the Bronze Star , Meritorious Service Medal ( with device ) , the Air Medal , the Joint Service Commendation Medal , the Army Commendation Medal ( with two OLC ) , the National Defense Service Medal ( with OLC ) , the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ( with OLC ) , the Kosovo Campaign Medal ( with OLC ) , the Iraq Campaign Medal , the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal , the Korean Defense Service Medal , the Armed Forces Reserve Medal , the Army Service Ribbon , the Army Overseas Service Ribbon ( with OLC ) , and the NATO Medal . He also wears the Presidential Unit Citation ( with device ) , the Joint Meritorious Unit Award ( with two OLC ) , and the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation . His badges include the Senior Army Aviator Badge , the Air Assault Badge , the Parachutist Badge , the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge , and the Army Staff Identification Badge . Personal life . Schloesser is the son of a retired U . S . Army Armor Lt . Colonel , Kenneth Schloesser . Jeffrey Schloesser and his wife , Patty ( née Drysdale ) , also a Kansas graduate , have one son , Ryan — a Civil Affairs Captain in the U . S . Army — and one daughter , Kelly , a Public Affairs Specialist for the U . S . Army . Schloesser ' s younger brother , Chris Schloesser , also a graduate of the University of Kansas , is Legislative Director for Sen . Jay Rockefeller ( D - WV ) . See also . AAR Corp and Aviation Worldwide Services