ΕΠΙΣΚΕΨΗ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΙΚΗΣ ΑΝΤΙΠΡΟΣΩΠΕΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΗΠΑ

Ποιός είναι ο BRIGADIER GENERAL STEVEN L. KWAST

Ανακοινώνεται ότι, από 20 έως 22 Σεπτεμβρίου 2010 επισκέπτεται τη χώρα μας εννεαμελής αντιπροσωπεία Αξιωματικών του ΓΕΕΘΑ των ΗΠΑ,

με επικεφαλής τον Αναπληρωτή Διευθυντή Πολιτικοστρατιωτικών Θεμάτων για την Ευρώπη, το ΝΑΤΟ και τη Ρωσία, Brigadier General Steven L. Kwast.
Σκοπός της επίσκεψης είναι η συζήτηση και ανταλλαγή απόψεων επί θεμάτων κοινού ενδιαφέροντος, καθώς επίσης και η διερεύνηση νέων τομέων συνεργασίας, στο πλαίσιο του προγραμματισμένου 7ου Κύκλου Συνομιλιών.

Brig. Gen. Steven L. Kwast is the Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Europe, NATO, and Russia, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He is responsible for recommending policy positions on issues related to Europe, Eurasia, and NATO to the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Kwast coordinates with interagency colleagues in the National Security Council, Department of State, Department of Defense, and U.S. European Command, as well as with European defense attachés.

General Kwast was commissioned upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1986. After completing a master's degree in public policy from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, he was assigned to undergraduate pilot training where he earned his pilot wings in June 1989. General Kwast has served as military aide to the Vice President and completed a National Defense Fellowship with the Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology and Policy at Boston University, Mass.

The general has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, including the 47th Operations Group at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. He also served as the Deputy Director for Colonel Matters, Air Force Senior Leader Management Office, Washington, D.C., and as the Deputy Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. Prior to his current assignment, General Kwast was the Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. He has more than 3,300 flying hours, including more than 650 combat hours during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Allied Force and Enduring Freedom.

EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor's degree in astronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1988 Master's degree in public policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1993 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1997 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Air War College, by correspondence
2003 National Defense Fellowship, Boston University, Mass.
2006 Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2008 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1986 - June 1988, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2. June 1988 - June 1989, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. June 1989 - May 1990, student, F-15E Fighter Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. May 1990 - August 1996, war plans officer, weapons officer, and Chief of Weapons, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. August 1996 - June 1997, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 1997 - August 1999, military aide to the Vice President of the United States, the White House, Washington, D.C.
7. August 1999 - June 2002, assistant operations officer, Director of Operations, and Commander, 492nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
8. June 2002 - June 2003, National Defense Fellow, Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology and Policy, Boston University, Mass.
9. September 2003 - February 2005, Commander, 47th Operations Group, Laughlin AFB, Texas
10. February 2005 - September 2006, Deputy Director for Colonel Matters, Air Force Senior Leader Management Office, Washington, D.C.
11. September 2006 - September 2008, Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
12. September 2008 - April 2009, Deputy Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. April 2009 - April 2010, Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
14. June 2010 - present, Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Europe, NATO and Russia, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997 - August 1999, military aide to the Vice President of the United States, the White House, Washington, D.C., as a major
2. April 2009 - April 2010, Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general
3. June 2010 - present, Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Europe, NATO and Russia, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,300, including over 650 combat hours
Aircraft: flown: F-15E, T-6, T-37 and T-38

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1989 Commander's Trophy, Air Training Command
1994 Outstanding Graduate, USAF Fighter Weapons School
1995 Robbie Risner Award

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1986
First Lieutenant May 28, 1988
Captain May 28, 1990
Major August 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1999
Colonel August 1, 2003
Brigadier General July 31, 2009

(Current as of September 2010)