Howard D. Stendahl

Howard Douglas Stendahl (born August 1, 1951) is the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force, promoted to Major General with an effective date of August 2, 2012. He was officially promoted and installed as the Air Force Chief of Chaplains at a ceremony held at Bolling Air Force Base on August 31, 2012.

Early life
Born and reared in St. Paul, Minnesota, Stendahl was ordained in 1977 into the ministry of The American Lutheran Church now a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He studied Clinical Pastoral Education and served as a parish pastor in Texas and Wisconsin before entering the Air Force Chaplain Service in 1985.

Education
According to Stendahl's official U.S. Air Force bio, his education includes:
 * 1973 Bachelor of Arts, Hamline University, St. Paul Minn.
 * 1977 Master of Divinity, Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul Minn.
 * 1988 Squadron Officer School (Residence)
 * 1994 Doctor of Ministry, Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend Ind.
 * 1995 Air Command and Staff College (Residence)
 * 2001 Air War College (Seminar)
 * 2004 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College (Residence)

Military assignments
Stendahls's past assignments, prior to his promotion to Brigadier General and assignment as U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, included:
 * 1985 - Chaplain, Basic Military Training School, Permanent Party Chapel, Lackland AFB TX
 * 1988 - Protestant Chaplain, Shaw AFB SC (deployed to Al Dhafra AB, UAE 1990-91)
 * 1991 - Chaplain to Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
 * 1994 - Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
 * 1995 - Senior Protestant Chaplain, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
 * 1997 - Command Staff Chaplain, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen GE
 * 1999 - Senior Staff Chaplain, HQ Air Force Recruiting Service, Randolph AFB, Texas
 * 2002 - Wing Chaplain, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
 * 2003 - Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
 * 2004 - Director, USAF Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
 * 2006 - Command Chaplain, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
 * 2009 - Command Chaplain, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.

Awards and honors
Stendahl's numerous military awards include:
 * Legion of Merit
 * Bronze Star Medal
 * Defense Meritorious Service Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
 * Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
 * Presidential Unit Citation
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor with three oak leaf clusters
 * Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
 * National Defense Service Medal with one device
 * Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Humanitarian Service Medal with one device
 * Air Force Recruiting Service Award
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)