Brig Gen David W. Hicks is the Vice Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and serves as the Deputy Joint Forces Air Component Commander for U.S. Northern Command. He is the principal advisor to the commander and assists in organizing, equipping and operating air defense forces for aerospace warning and control in support of the Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. These forces include the Continental NORAD Region Air Operations Center, two air defense sectors, 16 fighter alert sites and 10 Air National Guard fighter wings.
Brig Gen Hicks is a 1989 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. His assignments include flying duties as an A-10 pilot, instructor pilot, weapons officer, operational test pilot. He has commanded at the squadron and wing levels. Brig Gen Hicks has extensive operational experience in Southwest Asia, Far East Asia, Europe, and Alaska as well as combat tours in Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He is a command pilot with over 3,800 flying hours, including over 500 combat hours, more than 3,600 of which are in the A-10.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig Gen Hicks served as the Vice Director of Operations, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. He was responsible to the Director of Operations for safeguarding the air sovereignty of North America including Canada, Alaska, and the continental United States.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Mechanics, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2002 Air Command & Staff College (Correspondence)
2004 Master of Science, Systems Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH
2007 Air War College (Correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1989 - December 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
2. January 1991 - May 1991, A-10 fighter training course, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
3. May 1991 - July 1992, A-10 fighter pilot, 74th & 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron, England AFB, LA
4. July 1992 - May 1995, A/OA-10 instructor pilot, 11th Tactical Air Support Squadron & 355 Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, AK
5. May 1995 - March 1998, A-10 Operational Test Pilot, Chief of A-10 Operational Test, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
6. March 1998 - June 1999, 51st Fighter Wing Chief of A-10 Weapons and Tactics, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
7. June 1999 - June 2002, A-10 Weapons Instructor Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
8. June 2002 - August 2003, Executive Officer to the Commander, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, NV
9. August 2003 - September 2004, Student, AF Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
10. September 2004 - May 2006, Deputy Chief of Weapons and Tactics Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA
11. May 2006 - June 2007, Director of Operations, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
12. June 2007 - January 2009, Commander, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
13. January 2009 - June 2009, Deputy Commandant, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
14. June 2009 - June 2010, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, General Dynamics
15. June 2010 - July 2011, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group Commander, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan
16. July 2011 - June 2013, Commander, 53d Wing, Eglin AFB, FL
17. June 2013 - May 2014, Vice Director of Operations, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, CO
18. June 2014 - Present, Vice Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall AFB, FL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,800 hours
Primary Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, A-10A, OA-10, A-10C
Other Aircraft Flown: F-15, F-16, B-1, HH-60, HC-130, C-130, MQ-1, MQ-9, MC-12
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with Valor device and three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one device
GWOT Expeditionary Medal
GWOT Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1, 1989
First Lieutenant May 1, 1991
Captain May 1, 1993
Major August 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2005
Colonel September 1, 2009
Brigadier General (Frocked) June 9, 2014