Stayce D. Harris (born 1959) is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General who last served as the Inspector General of the Air Force. Harris previously served as the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, Headquarters, United States Air Force. She also served as Deputy Chairman of the Air Force Council, and was the Air Force accreditation official for the international Corps of Air Attachés. Harris' promotion to Lieutenant General was a first for African-American females, as she is the first to hold the three-star rank in the U.S. Air Force. Additionally, she is the first Air Force Reservist to be promoted to the three-star rank other than the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command. Prior to her assignment as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Harris was Commander, Twenty-Second Air Force.[2]
Stayce D. Harris | |
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 Official U.S. Air Force Photo | |
| Born | 1959 (age 64–65) Los Angeles, California, US[1] |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1982–2019 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Twenty-Second Air Force 459th Air Refueling Wing 494th Air Expeditionary Group 729th Airlift Squadron |
| Awards | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal |
Harris received her commission in 1981 through Air Force ROTC at the University of Southern California serving on active duty until transferring to the Air Force Reserve in 1991. While in the reserves Harris has served as in Individual Mobilization Augmentee in multiple staff assignments. She has also commanded the 459th Air Refueling Wing, 494th Air Expeditionary Group, and 729th Airlift Squadron. Harris is a Command Pilot having flown more than 2,500 hours in military aircraft. Those aircraft include the C-130H, KC-135R, C-141B/C, T-38, and T-37.[3]
Awards and decorations
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US Air Force Command Pilot Badge |
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Inspector General of the Air Force Badge |
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Defense Superior Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit |
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Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters |
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Aerial Achievement Medal |
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Air Force Commendation Medal |
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Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
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Meritorious Unit Award |
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Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters |
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Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf cluster |
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National Defense Service Medal with bronze star |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
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Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
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Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver oak leaf cluster |
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Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass |
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Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon |
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Air Force Training Ribbon |
Professional Memberships and Associations
edit- Air Force Association
- Reserve Officers Association
- Airlift/Tanker Association
- Air Force Sergeants Association
- Tuskegee Airmen Inc.
- Women Military Aviators
- American Legion
Dates of promotion
edit- Second Lieutenant February 13, 1982
- First Lieutenant February 13, 1984
- Captain February 13, 1986
- Major March 5, 1993
- Lieutenant Colonel September 18, 1998
- Colonel April 1, 2002
- Brigadier General April 2, 2009
- Major General December 20, 2013
- Lieutenant General August 19, 2016
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Stayce D. Harris (1959- ) •". 13 January 2020.
- ^ Pawlyk, Oriana (10 Oct 2016). "History-Making Air Force General Isn't About 'Firsts'". Military.com. Military Advantage. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Stayce D. Harris". United States Air Force. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
External links
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- Evans, Kelley (16 December 2016). "Meet Stayce Harris, the first black woman to become an Air Force lieutenant general". Andscape. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- Michaels, Jim (12 February 2017). "No limits: Lt. Gen. Stayce Harris broke Air Force's barriers with resolve". USA Today. Retrieved 22 May 2017.