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| Information > Biographies > MAJOR GENERAL MARTIN WHELAN |
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MAJOR GENERAL MARTIN WHELAN
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Maj. Gen. Martin Whelan is Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He is responsible for defining the future of space and cyberspace systems through requirements definition, mission area architecting and science and technology in support of the joint warfighter, Department of Defense, civil and national users. Mission areas include missile warning/defense, military satellite communications, responsive space, cyber warfare network operations, global positioning system, space control, space protection, launch and range operations and requirements generation.
General Whelan was commissioned in 1983 through the ROTC program at Parks College of Saint Louis University. His career includes an initial assignment as an engineer on the space shuttle program. He became a space operations officer in 1987 and has held numerous positions, including field commander with the 4th Space Communications Squadron, detachment commander for the ground-based electro-optical deep space surveillance system and activation of the operational contingent of the Air Force's first theater early warning system, Talon Shield. General Whelan served on the Air Staff and later commanded the 18th Space Surveillance Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif. He was assigned to the Joint Staff in the Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Branch and was Chief, Space and Missile Defense Policy Division. He was Vice Commander at the 460th Space Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo., and Commander of the 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. He served as the Deputy Director of Operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.; and prior to his current assignment, General Whelan served as the Director of Operations and Nuclear Support Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
General Whelan deployed in 2006 as the Director of Space Forces to the Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia, supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
1983 Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering, St. Louis University, Mo.
1989 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Master of Arts degree in contracting management, Webster University, St. Louis. Mo.
1995 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2000 Air War College, by correspondence
2002 Master of Science degree in national resource strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1984 - January 1985, shuttle project engineer, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. January 1985 - October 1986, hypergolic systems engineer, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
3. October 1986 - July 1987, shuttle ground systems project engineer, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. July 1987 - June 1989, space system field commander, undisclosed location
5. June 1989 - January 1990, Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, undisclosed location
6. January 1990 - February 1992, Commander, Detachment 2, 18th Surveillance Squadron, Choe Jong San, South Korea
7. February 1992 - May 1992, space systems operations evaluation officer, Peterson AFB, Colo.
8. May 1992 - October 1993, Chief, Space Systems Operations Evaluations Office, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. October 1993 - June 1994, executive officer, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
10. June 1994 - June 1995, student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
11. June 1995 - August 1996, space and missile operations staff officer, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. August 1996 - July 1998, Chief, Space Policy, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. July 1998 - February 2000, Commander, 18th Space Surveillance Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
14. February 2000 - July 2001, Chief, Senior Officer Matters, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
15. July 2001 - July 2002, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
16. July 2002 - July 2003, Chief, Nuclear Treaties Branch, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2003 - July 2004, Chief, Space and Missile Defense Policy Division; Deputy Director, Plans and Policy, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. August 2004 - July 2006, Vice Commander, 460th Space Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo. (January 2005 - June 2005, Director, Space Forces, Combined Air Operations Center, Southwest Asia)
19. July 2006 - May 2008, Commander, 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
20. May 2008 - September 2009, Deputy Director, Operations, Global Operations Directorate, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
21. September 2009 - September 2011, Director of Operations and Nuclear Support Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ft. Belvoir, Va.
22. September 2011 - present, Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2002 - July 2003, Chief, Nuclear Treaties Branch, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
2. July 2003 - July 2004, Chief, Space and Missile Defense Policy Division; Deputy Director, Plans and Policy, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
3. January 2005 - June 2005, Director, Space Forces, Combined Air Operations Center, Southwest Asia, as a colonel
4. May 2008 - September 2009, Deputy Director, Operations, US Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a colonel and brigadier general
5. September 2009 - September 2011, Director, Operations and Nuclear Support Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ft. Belvoir, Va., as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 14, 1983
First Lieutenant Dec. 14, 1985
Captain Dec. 14, 1987
Major Nov. 1, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
Colonel Aug. 1, 2002
Brigadier General Jun 19, 2009
Major General April 27, 2012
(Current as of May 2012)
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