Douglas M. Fraser

Douglas Malcolm Fraser (born April 16, 1953), is a retired United States Air Force general, who served as the Commander, U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). He is the first U.S. Air Force officer to become USSOUTHCOM's combatant commander. He previously served as Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command from April 2008 to June 24, 2009. He assumed his current assignment on June 25, 2009. He has retired on January 1, 2013.

Early life and education
Fraser was born on April 16, 1953 in Casper, Wyoming. He earned his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1975. His operational assignments include Europe, the Pacific, Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command. Prior to this current assignment, he was Commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, with headquarters at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

Career
Fraser is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours, primarily in the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Falcon.

Assignments

 * 1) August 1975 - July 1976, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
 * 2) September 1976 - March 1977, F-15 student, 405th Tactical Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
 * 3) June 1977 - May 1980, F-15 pilot, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany
 * 4) June 1980 - June 1983, F-15 squadron weapons officer, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
 * 5) July 1983 - June 1985, flight commander, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
 * 6) July 1985 - July 1986, aide to the Commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
 * 7) August 1986 - June 1987, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
 * 8) July 1987 - July 1989, fighter programmer, Directorate of Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
 * 9) July 1989 - May 1991, member, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Staff Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
 * 10) July 1991 - June 1992, Commander, Weapons and Tactics Flight, 18th Operations Support Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
 * 11) June 1992 - October 1992, Director of Operations, 44th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
 * 12) October 1992 - July 1993, Commander, 12th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
 * 13) August 1993 - June 1994, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
 * 14) July 1994 - July 1996, analysis assistant, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Requirements, Washington, D.C.
 * 15) July 1996 - June 1997, Director, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
 * 16) July 1997 - January 1999, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
 * 17) February 1999 - January 2000, executive assistant to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
 * 18) January 2000 - April 2002, Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
 * 19) April 2002 - June 2003, Commander, Space Warfare Center, Air Force Space Command, Schriever AFB, Colo.
 * 20) May 2003 - October 2005, Director of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
 * 21) October 2005 - April 2008, Commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, 11th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
 * 22) April 2008 - June 2009, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
 * 23) June 2009 - November 2012, Commander, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida

Flight information

 * Rating: Command pilot
 * Flight hours: More than 2,700
 * Aircraft flown: F-15 Eagle and F-16 Falcon

Education

 * US-AirForceAcademy-Shield.svg United States Air Force Academy class of 1975
 * 1975 Bachelor of Science degree in political science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
 * 1979 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 1987 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
 * 1987 Master's degree in political science, Auburn University
 * 1992 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC
 * 2005 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Medals and ribbons
Other foreign awards and decorations include:


 * Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella in the degree of Grand Officer (Government of Dominican Republic)
 * Ministry of National Defense (Government of Colombia)
 * Order of the Military Merit Antonio Nariño (Government of Colombia)
 * Joint Staff (Government of Chile)
 * Faith on the Cause (Government of Colombia)