Brigadier General John M. Hicks, USAF

Director for Command, Control, Communications and Cyber, J6, U.S. Pacific Command

Brigadier General John M. Hicks
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Brigadier General John M. Hicks is the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (C4) for U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.  General Hicks is responsible for C4 across the largest regional combatant command enabling joint and coalition operations. He provides senior leadership and management of Pacific and global C4 resources to support the headquarters and the forces of four component commands, four sub-unified commands and all joint task forces.

General Hicks received his commission through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the Virginia Military Institute in 1986.  His operational flying experience includes special operations assignments in the AC-130H and AC-130U.  He has commanded the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and the 14th Weapons Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.  He served in staff assignments at Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command.  His Pentagon assignments include Operations Directorates of Headquarters Air Force and the Joint Staff. 

A command pilot, General Hicks has more than 3,000 flying hours.

Education

  • 1986 Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA
  • 1993 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 1996 Master's of international relations, Troy State University, AL
  • 1998 Master's of military arts and sciences, Army Command and Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
  • 1999 Master's of aerospace arts and sciences, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2003 Air War College, by correspondence
  • 2006 National Defense Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington, D.C.
  • 2010 Senior Executive Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Assignments

  1. January 1987 - February 1988, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, AZ
  2. June 1988 - March 1994, pilot, instructor and evaluator, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL 
  3. March 1994 - May 1995, evaluator pilot, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
  4. May 1995 - June 1997, chief, AC-130 tactics, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL
  5. June 1997 - June 1998, student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
  6. June 1998 - June 1999, student, U.S. Air Force School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
  7. July 1999 - August 2001, chief, doctrine branch, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Directorate for Strategy, Concepts and Doctrine, Washington, D.C.
  8. September 2001 - June 2002, executive officer, Directorate of Aerospace Operations, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA
  9. June 2002 - April 2003, AC-130U re-qualification and student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Hurlburt Field, FL
  10. April 2003 - June 2005, Commander, 14th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Hurlburt Field, FL
  11. July 2005 - June 2006, National Defense Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington, D.C.
  12. June 2006 - June 2008, Assistant Deputy Directorate for Special Operations, Operations Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington D.C. 
  13. June 2008 - April 2009, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
  14. April 2009 - May 2010, Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota AB, Japan
  15. May 2010 – Aug 2011, Director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  16. August 2011 – Present, Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (J6), U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, HI

Summary of Joint Assignments

  1. June 2008 – May 2010, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
  2. August 2011 – Present, Director, Command, Control, Communications & Cyber (J6), U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, HI

Flight Information

  • Rating:  Command pilot
  • Flight hours:  More than 3,000
  • Aircraft flown:  AC-130H/U, C-130E 

Major Awards and Decorations

  • Defense Superior Service Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Effective Dates of Promotion

  • Second Lieutenant August 26, 1986
  • First Lieutenant August 26, 1988
  • Captain August 26, 1990
  • Major September 1, 1997
  • Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2001
  • Colonel March 1, 2006
  • Brigadier General August 5, 2011

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