John W. Handy

General John W. Handy (born April 29, 1944) was Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, and Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois from October 2001 until September 2005. General Handy retired effective October 1, 2005.

General Handy was commissioned in 1967 and received his pilot wings in 1968. He has commanded the 21st Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; the Air Mobility Command's Tanker Airlift Control Center; two airlift wings and a maintenance squadron. He has served as the Director of Operations and Logistics for USTRANSCOM; the Air Force's Director of Programs and Evaluations, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

General Handy is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, principally in airlift aircraft. As a C-130 Hercules pilot, he logged more than 300 combat hours in Southeast Asia. Prior to assuming command over the U.S. Transportation Command, the general was Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

Education

 * 1966 Bachelor's degree in history, Methodist College, Fayetteville, North Carolina
 * 1972 Squadron Officer School
 * 1979 Air Command and Staff College
 * 1979 Master's degree in systems management, University of Southern California
 * 1982 Air War College
 * 1984 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
 * 1993 Program for Senior Executives, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Flight information

 * Rating: Command pilot
 * Flight hours: More than 5,000
 * Aircraft flown: C-130 Hercules, C-141, C-17, C-7A, C-9, C-37 and KC-10

Major awards and decorations

 * Defense Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Defense Distinguished Service Medal
 * Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
 * Legion of Merit ribbon.svg Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
 * Meritorious Service ribbon.svg Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
 * Air Medal ribbon.svg Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
 * AnArcRib.svg Antarctica Service Medal
 * Vietnam Service Ribbon.svg Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars
 * Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines).svg Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
 * Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon.svg Légion d'honneur
 * Vietnam gallantry cross unit award-3d.svg Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
 * 2005 Air Force Order of the Sword

Other achievements

 * 1992 Honorary doctor of humanities, Methodist College