brigadier general
j. gregory pavlovich
Class of 1974
Bachelor of Science, Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Biography
Brig. Gen. J. Gregory Pavlovich graduated from the University of Wisconsin and entered the Air Force through the ROTC program. He spent his career in missile operations, missile and aircraft maintenance, space operations and logistics. The general has commanded three aircraft maintenance squadrons, a logistics group and a Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile space wing. General Pavlovich has held two joint assignments and is a certified program manager.
Brig. Gen. J. Gregory Pavlovich was formerly the Commander, 45th Space Wing, and Director, Eastern Range, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. before retiring in 2005. He was also Deputy Department of Defense Manager for Manned Space Flight Support to NASA. As the 45th Space Wing Commander, Brig. Gen. Pavlovich oversaw the preparation and launching of U.S. government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., granting final approval authority for all launches on the Eastern Range. The Eastern Range covers an area of more than 15 million square miles and comprises 36 tenant units and operating sites located at Patrick AFB; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station; the Jonathan Dickinson Military Tracking and Malabar annexes, Fla.; Antigua Air Station; and Ascension Island. All of these sites support an average of 30 launches a year. He also managed wing launch and range infrastructure supporting space launch and missile test operations.
From 1975 to 1980, Brig. Gen. Pavlovich was assigned to the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base. He was then assigned to Strategic Air Command from 1981 to 1984 and Vandenberg Air Force Base from 1984 to 1986. In 1986, Pavlovich was transferred to the 485th Tactical Missile Wing at Florennes Air Base in Belgium. From there, he became a squadron commander at RAF Mildenhall.
After returning to the United States, he became executive program director in the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense. In 1994, he was named chief of strategic planning and business process integration at the Defense Logistics Agency. The following year, he became assistant executive director of the Readiness Group.
In 1998, he returned to Malmstrom Air Force Base as vice commander of the 341st Space Wing. He assumed command of the wing later that year.
Awards he received include the Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster and four bronze oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal, and the Montana Adjutant General's Distinguished Patriot Medal.