General C. Robert "Bob" Kehler

General C. Robert "Bob" Kehler

Commander, USSTRATCOM

General C. Robert "Bob" Kehler is the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He provides the President and Secretary of Defense with a broad range of strategic capabilities and options for the joint warfighter through several diverse mission areas, including combating weapons of mass destruction, integrated missile defense, ISR, and global strike. He is responsible for the plans and operations for all U.S. forces conducting strategic deterrence and DoD space and cyberspace operations. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and major command levels and has a broad range of operational tours in ICBM, space launch, space control, space and missile warning operations.
General Kehler entered the Air Force in 1975 as a distinguished graduate of the Pennsylvania State University Air Force R.O.T.C. program. He commanded a Minuteman ICBM operations squadron at Whiteman AFB, Mo. , the Air Force's largest ICBM operations group at Malmstrom AFB, Mont. , the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. , the 21st Space Wing at Peterson AFB, Colo. , Air Force Space Command, and America's ICBM force before its transition from Air Force Space Command to Air Force Global Strike Command in December 2009.
General Kehler's staff assignments include tours with the Air Staff, Strategic Air Command headquarters and Air Force Space Command. He was also assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force's Office of Legislative Liaison, where he was the point man on Capitol Hill for matters regarding the President's ICBM Modernization Program. As Director of the National Security Space Office, General Kehler integrated the activities of a number of space organizations on behalf of the Under Secretary of the Air Force and Director, National Reconnaissance Office. He has also served as Deputy Director of Operations, Air Force Space Command, and as Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command.
EDUCATION
1974 Bachelor of Science degree in education, Pennsylvania State University, State College
1980 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1982 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1987 Master of Science degree in public administration, University of Oklahoma, Norman
1988 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1992 Air War College, by seminar
1995 Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1995 Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1998 Program for Executives, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.
2002 National Security Leadership Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2006 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1975 - June 1975, student, missile combat crew operational readiness training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. June 1975 - January 1981, missile combat crew member, instructor, senior evaluator, and Emergency War Order instructor, 341st Strategic Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3. January 1981 - April 1982, personnel staff officer, Air Staff Training Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
4. April 1982 - January 1985, missile operations staff officer, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
5. January 1985 - January 1988, resource planner, Directorate of Air Force Operations Plans, and Chief, Strategic Missile Branch, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Legislative Liaison, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
6. January 1988 - June 1988, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
7. July 1988 - July 1991, nuclear employment and policy planner, Nuclear and Chemical Division, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. July 1991 - July 1992, Commander, 508th Missile Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
9. July 1992 - February 1993, Deputy Commander, 351st Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
10. February 1993 - August 1994, Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
11. August 1994 - July 1995, student, Naval War College Newport, R.I.
12. July 1995 - August 1995, Inspector General, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
13. August 1995 - June 1996, Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
14. June 1996 - June 1998, Commander, 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
15. June 1998 - September 1999, Chief, Space Superiority Division, and Chairman, Space Superiority and Nuclear Deterrence Panel, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. September 1999 - August 2000, special assistant to the Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. August 2000 - May 2002, Commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
18. May 2002 - May 2005, Director, National Security Space Integration, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. May 2005 - October 2007, Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
20. October 2007 - January 2011, Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
21. January 2011 - present, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1988 - July 1991, nuclear employment and policy planner, Nuclear and Chemical Division, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. , as a major and lieutenant colonel
2. May 2005 - October 2007, Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. , as a lieutenant general
OPERATIONAL INFORMATION
Weapon systems: Minuteman II and Minuteman III, Defense Support Program
Launch systems: Titan II, Titan IV and Delta II

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
French Legion of Honor (Officer)

PUBLICATIONS
"Nuclear Armed Adversaries and the Joint Commander," Naval War College Review, Winter 1996
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 10,1975
First Lieutenant April 10,1977
Captain April 10,1979
Major May 1, 1985
Lieutenant Colonel June 1,1989
Colonel Feb. 1,1994
Brigadier General July 1, 2000
Major General Aug. 1, 2003
Lieutenant General June 1, 2005
General Oct. 12, 2007
(Current as of March 2013)