Gen. Kevin B. Schneider is the Commander, Pacific Air Forces; and Air Component Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. PACAF is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports more than 46,000 Airmen serving principally in Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.

 

Gen. Schneider earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1988. He is a graduate of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels to include a combat wing in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. His staff assignments include tours on the Joint Staff, Air Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Pacific Air Forces. The general is a command pilot with 4,000 flight hours in the F-16, F-15E, T-38C, UH-1N and F-22A to include 530 combat flight hours. He has served in operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. Prior to his current position, Gen. Schneider was the Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.

 

EDUCATION

1988 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

1996 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2000 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2005 Masters of National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Marine Corps War College, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. August 1988–September 1989, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, 88th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas

2. March 1990–November 1990, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, 72nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla. 3. November 1990–November 1993, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea

4. November 1993–January 1996, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Wing Weapons Flight Commander, 432nd Operations Support Squadron, then Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan

5. January 1996–June 1996, Student, USAF Weapons Instructor Course, F-16 Division, Nellis AFB, Nev.

6. June 1996–June 1998, Squadron Weapons Officer, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, and Flight Commander, 78th FS and 55th FS, Shaw AFB, S.C. 7. June 1998–May 2000, F-16 Instructor Weapons Officer, Chief of Special Projects, and Assistant Operations Officer, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.

8. May 2000–October 2001, Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters USAF, The Pentagon

9. January 2002–August 2003, Chief, Wing Weapons and Tactics, 52nd OSS, then Operations Officer, 23rd FS, Spangdahlem AB, Germany

10. August 2003–July 2004, Commander, 80th FS, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea

11. July 2004–June 2005, Student, Marine Corps War College, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

12. June 2005–June 2007, Action Officer for Western Europe and the Balkans and Eastern Europe and Eurasia Branches, then Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Europe, NATO, Russia, and Africa, Plans and Policy Directorate (J5), Headquarters Joint Staff, The Pentagon

13. June 2007–January 2008, Senior Deputy Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Az.

14. January 2008–June 2009, Vice Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah

15. June 2009–July 2011, Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas

16. July 2011–June 2013, Director, Air Force General Officer Management, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters USAF, The Pentagon

17. June 2013–June 2014, Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia

18. June 2014–May 2015, Assistant Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Assistant Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Shaw AFB, S.C.

19. May 2015–July 2016, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

20. July 2016–February 2019, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii

21. February 2019–August 2021, Commander, United States Forces, Japan, and Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan

22. September 2021–February 2024, Director of Staff, Headquarters USAF, The Pentagon

23. February 2024–present, Commander, Pacific Air Forces and Air Component Commander for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 2005–June 2007, Action Officer for Western Europe and the Balkans and Eastern Europe and Eurasia Branches, then Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Europe, NATO, Russia, and Africa, Plans and Policy Directorate (J5), Headquarters Joint Staff, The Pentagon, as a Lieutenant Colonel

2. July 2016–February 2019, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, as a Major General

3. February 2019–August 2021, Commander, United States Forces, Japan, Yokota Air Base, Japan, as a Lieutenant General

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: more than 4,000 including more than 530 combat hours

Aircraft flown: F-16, F-15E, T-38C, UH-1N, and F-22A

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters

Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster

Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters

Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air and Space Achievement Medal

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant June 1, 1988

First Lieutenant June 1, 1990

Captain June 1, 1992
Major Aug. 1, 1998

Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2003

Colonel Sep. 1, 2007

Brigadier General June 2, 2013

Major General Nov. 2, 2015

Lieutenant General Feb. 5, 2019

General Feb. 9, 2024

 

(Current as of February 2024)