BIOGRAPHY
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
MAJOR GENERAL STEVEN J. BUTOW
Maj. Gen. Steven J. Butow serves as Commander, California Air National
Guard. In this role, he is the primary advisor to The Adjutant General on
all programs, strategic planning, and operations affecting the California Air
National Guard. He is responsible for the mission readiness and
operational effectiveness across a broad spectrum of programs and
activities involving five wings and over 4900 military and civilian personnel
serving at ten locations within California. In this role, General Butow
oversees development of operationally trained, equipped, and mission
ready forces in support of national defense requirements and emergency
response, relief, and recovery operations throughout California.
Maj. Gen. Butow received his commission in 1989 from the Academy of
Military Sciences, Knoxville, Tennessee, where he was recognized as a
distinguished graduate. Upon earning his qualification as a combat rescue
pilot, he made more than ten Air Expeditionary Force deployments in
support of Operations DESERT STORM, SOUTHERN WATCH,
PROVIDE COMFORT II, NORTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM and
ENDURING FREEDOM. General Butow was selected by Headquarters Air
Force Special Operations Command as the HC-130 Working Group
Chairman at the 2004 Combat Air Forces Weapons and Tactics
Conference. He served as Deputy Director of the United States Central
Command Joint Search and Rescue Center in 2005, and as the United
States Air Forces Central Command Chief of Personnel Recovery in 2007.
As Commander of the 129th Rescue Wing, General Butow maintained the
mission readiness of 970 Airmen, four MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft
and five HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters in support of both global and homeland taskings. As the Vice Chief of the Joint Staff for the
California Military Department, which leads the second largest state National Guard force in the nation, he shared responsibility for
integrating and synchronizing joint forces to protect the state’s population of 40 million and the fifth largest economy in the world. General
Butow previously served as Special Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard for Headquarters Air Force, Plans, Programs and
Requirements.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor’s degree in Physics, San Jose State University, Calif.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, by seminar
2016 Master’s in Space Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md.
2018 National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Cohort 16, Harvard University, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1989 - April 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1990 - February 1991, Student, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
3. July 1992 - July 1999, HC-130P Pilot, 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett Field, Calif.
4. July 1999 - April 2004, MC-130P Pilot, 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett Field, Calif.