BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, announced he will retire from the U.S. Air Force, ending nearly four decades of service.
Bussiere, who also serves as commander of Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command, said he is stepping down for personal and family reasons. He had been nominated earlier this year for the position of Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
“Serving alongside the exceptional men and women of our Air Force has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Bussiere said in a statement. “I’m especially proud of the Warrior Airmen of Air Force Global Strike Command and everything we’ve accomplished together.”
Air Force Global Strike Command, headquartered at Barksdale, provides strategic deterrence and global strike capability to U.S. Strategic Command and other combatant commands. The command includes more than 36,000 personnel across two numbered air forces, 12 wings, and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center. Its portfolio covers the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, nuclear command and control assets, and supporting aircraft.
Bussiere, a 1985 graduate of Norwich University’s ROTC program, is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flight hours in aircraft including the F-15C Eagle, B-2 Spirit, B-1B Lancer, and F-22 Raptor. He flew combat missions in Operations Southern Watch, Vigilant Warrior, Allied Force, and Iraqi Freedom.
Over his career, he commanded units ranging from bomb squadrons to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, home of the B-2 bomber. He later led the Eighth Air Force, Alaskan Command, and the Eleventh Air Force before serving as deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command. He assumed command of Global Strike Command in December 2022.
Bussiere’s decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters.
While leaving active duty, Bussiere said his dedication to national defense will continue. “My commitment to service remains,” he said. “I look forward to finding new ways to support our Air Force, our national defense, and the incredible people who make it all possible.”