Colonel Robert C. Bolton is the Commander, New Jersey Air National Guard which includes the 108th Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and the 177th Fighter Wing based at the Atlantic City International Airport, Egg Harbor Township.

Colonel Bolton was born in Norwood, Massachusetts, on December 30, 1961.  He graduated from Mansfield High School, Massachusetts, in 1979.  He received a 4 year ROTC Engineering scholarship from the U.S. Air Force and attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.  He was commissioned in May 1983, completed UPT in June 1984 as a distinguished graduate, and was selected to fly the F-15.  In March 1988 he was assigned as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) Instructor Pilot with the 22nd Tactical Support Training Squadron flying OV-10’s at Patrick AFB, FL.  The unit was relocated to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ in March 1989 where Col Bolton remained until June 1990.  He then left active duty to become an F-16 Instructor Pilot with the 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard.  As a technician, Col Bolton has been the Chief of Training, Weapons, and Scheduling.  He was the Operations person responsible for the F-16 Air Defense Fighter (ADF), F-16C-model, and Air-to Ground conversions.  He has been on all the unit’s major deployments and was the Detachment Commander on two of the unit’s counter-drug deployments.  In March 1999 he was hired by American Airlines and became a traditional guardsman.  As a traditional guardsman, he served as the Operations Support Flight Commander.  When the events of 9-11 unfolded, Col Bolton stepped in as the unit’s Alert Operations and Scheduling officer and flew on many of the Homeland Defense missions.  From September 2003 through January 2006 he served as the unit’s Alert Detachment Commander.  In February 2006, he deployed to “Operation Iraqi Freedom” as the unit’s Assistant Operations Officer.  In August 2007, he was appointed as the Operations Group Commander.  In February 2009 he was selected as the Wing Commander.  He has served as the Commander of US Air Forces in Jordan two years in a row (2010 and 2011) for Eager Tiger, a multi-national joint force exercise.

EDUCATION:

1983    Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts
1988    Squadron Officer School in Residence
1998    Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2006    Air War College (correspondence)

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. July 1983-June 1984, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, TX
2. July 1984-September 1984, Fighter Lead In, Holloman AFB, NM
3. October 1984-Feb 1985, F-15 RTU, Luke AFB, AZ
4. February 1985-March 1988, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, VA
5. March 1988-March 1989 22nd TASTS, Patrick AFB, FL
6. March 1989-May 1990, 602nd TAIRCW, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
7. June 1990-March 2012, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, Egg Harbor
8. March 2012-September 2012, Deputy Commander New Jersey Air National Guard, JBMDL
9. September 2012-Present, Commander New Jersey Air National Guard, JBMDL 

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 5700
Instructor Hours:  1600
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, OV-10, F-15A/B/C/D, F-16A/B/C/D, MD-80, Boeing 777/767/757

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Laughlin AFB UPT Class 84-06 Distinguished Graduate
1989 Tactical Air Command Instructor Pilot of the Year
1992 177FW Company Grade Officer of the Year
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Silver / 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze Star
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
AF Longevity Service with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device and Hour Glass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star
Air Force Training Ribbon
New Jersey Ribbon of Honor with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
New Jersey Merit Award Ribbon with 21 Devices
New Jersey Desert Storm Support Ribbon
New Jersey Unit Strength Award Ribbon 

DATES OF PROMOTION:

RANK                                     EFFECTIVE DATE  

2d Lt                                      16 June 1983
1st Lt                                     16 June 1985
Capt                                      16 June 1987
Maj                                        26 August 1994
Lt Col                                    24 November 1998
Col                                        28 September 2007

(Current as of March 2012)