Lieutenant General John D. Hopper Jr., USAF (Ret.

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Lieutenant General John Hopper Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Air Force Aid
Society (AFAS). The Society is a private, non-profit organization that provides
emergency assistance, education grants and community support to Airmen around the
world. As CEO of AFAS Gen Hopper oversees an annual budget in excess of $20
million dollars and manages an endowment of more than $140 million dollars.
Gen Hopper retired from the US Air Force in 2005 after more than 35 years of
distinguished service. He last served as the Vice Commander, Air Education and
Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. In this position he was responsible
for Air Force activities in a command that supported more than 63,000 Air Force people
serving principally in the continental United States but with operations also in
Central/South America, Europe and the Pacific.
Before retiring and joining AFAS, Gen Hoppers military assignments included:
Commander, 21st Air Force; Director of Operations for Air Mobility Command; Vice
Director of Logistics for the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Commandant of Cadets (Dean of
Students), US Air Force Academy. He has commanded four wings to include command
of the 1660th Tactical Airlift Wing (Provisional), Thumrait, Oman during Desert
Shield/Desert Storm. Gen Hopper has experience in more than 10 different USAF
aircraft including the UH-1N helicopter.
Gen Hopper received a Bachelor of Science degree from the US Air Force Academy. He
earned a Master of Science Degree, with Distinction, from the Air Force Institute of
Technology where he was also inducted into Alpha Iota Delta, the national honor society
for the decision sciences. His leadership training included graduating with distinction
from Squadron Officers School and the Air Command & Staff College. He is a graduate
of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Maxwell School of Citizenship &
Public Affairs, Syracuse University and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced
International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. Gen Hopper is also a member of the
Board of Governors of the Civil Air Patrol. Gen Hoppers military decorations include
the Defense Superior Service medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Just prior to his
retirement, Gen Hopper was inducted into the military Order of the Sword. In addition to
numerous other awards, Gen Hopper holds the distinction of being the first AfricanAmerican graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy to be promoted to flag rank.