General Kevin P. Chilton is Commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He is responsible for the global command and control of U.S. strategic forces to meet decisive national security objectives.

USSTRATCOM provides a broad range of strategic capabilities and options for the President and Secretary of Defense. Command mission areas include full-spectrum global strike, space operations, computer network operations, Department of Defense information operations, strategic warning, integrated missile defense, and global C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), combating weapons of mass destruction, and specialized expertise to the joint warfighter.

General Chilton is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1976. A Guggenheim Fellow, he completed a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering at Columbia University. He is a command astronaut pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in various aircraft. The general flew operational assignments in the RF-4C and F-15.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, he conducted weapons testing in various models of the F-4 and F-15 prior to joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1987. At NASA, he flew on three space shuttle missions and served as the Deputy Program Manager for Operations for the International Space Station Program. The general has served on the Air Force Space Command Staff, the Air Staff, the Joint Staff, and commanded the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, 8th Air Force, Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike and Air Force Space Command.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, NASA Space Flight Medal with two oak leaf clusters, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.