Major General Robert E. Wheeler

Major General Robert E. Wheeler’s military career spanned over 32 years, retiring in 2016. A command pilot with more than 4,800 hours, he received a B.S. in engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1983, and entered the Air Force in 1984 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He also holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., among other certificates and recognitions. After pilot training he went on to become a combat pilot in the B-52 and B-2. 

 

He completed his uniformed career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, Communications/Computers (C4) and Information Infrastructure Capabilities. Major General Robert E. Wheeler served as the Commander of the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. He was responsible for the combat readiness of the U.S. Air Force's only B-2 wing. His responsibilities included development and employment of the B-2's combat capability as part of the U.S. Air Force's Global Strike Task Force. His command provided logistics support for the Air Force Reserve 442nd Fighter Wing; Missouri Air National Guard 131st Bomb Wing; Missouri Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation Unit; and the Navy Reserve Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13. He managed flying assets in excess of $46 billion and an annual operations and maintenance budget of $147 million. 

General Wheeler was the former Commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base. As Commander, he was responsible for providing B-52 aircraft, aircrews and associated support personnel, and resources to conduct global bomber operational taskings.

He has served as the division chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding European security issues and the Senior Military Adviser to the U.S. Mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe based in Vienna, Austria. In that capacity he provided recommendations and unfiltered political-military advice to the Chairman of the JCS and other Washington-based U.S. interagency representatives that relate to European security issues.

General Wheeler has served as the Commander of the 325th Bomb Squadron. Under his leadership, B-2 bombers from the 325th Bomb Squadron were the first group to strike targets in Afghanistan on record breaking 40+ hour combat sorties during the first days of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has also served as operations officer of the 394th Combat Training Squadron directing B-2 and T-38 training for the 509th Bomb Wing. While at Whiteman AFB, he also served as the 509th BW Chief of Safety, in charge of all flight, weapons and ground safety.

General Wheeler has been a member of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Operations Group, Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this position, he worked policy analysis and provided direct advice to Air Force senior leaders on the full range of operational, logistics, acquisition, personnel and budget issues. He also prepared congressional testimony, articles, briefings, messages and speeches for the Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff. General Wheeler has served as an air campaign analyst and executive officer for the Operations Directorate, to Air Force Headquarters, Pentagon.

 

Major General Wheeler is the recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the General Ira C. Eaker Award.