Gen. Paul J. Selva served as the 10th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s second highest-ranking military officer.
General Selva graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980, and completed undergraduate pilot training at Reese AFB, Texas. He has held numerous staff positions and has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and headquarter levels. Prior to his current assignment General Selva was the commander of U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
General Selva was a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours in the C-5, C-17A, C-141B, C-37, KC-10, KC-135A and T-37.
EDUCATION
1980 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1983 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1984 Master of Science in Management and Human Relations, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas
1992 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., distinguished graduate
1992 Master of Science in Political Science, Auburn University, Montgomery, Ala.
1996 National Defense Fellow, Secretary of Defense Strategic Studies Group, Rosslyn, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1980 - July 1981, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas
2. July 1981 - December 1984, co-pilot and aircraft commander, 917th Air Refueling Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
3. January 1984 - December 1988, co-pilot, aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and flight commander, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
4. January 1989 - July 1991, company grade adviser to Commander, Strategic Air Command, later, manager of offensive aircraft systems and executive officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Resources, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
5. August 1991 - July 1992, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. July 1992 - June 1994, instructor pilot and flight commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, later, Commander, 722nd Operations Support Squadron, March AFB, Calif.
7. June 1994 - June 1995, Commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, later, Deputy Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. July 1995 - June 1996, National Defense Fellow, Secretary of Defense Strategic Studies Group, Rosslyn, Va.
9. July 1996 - August 1998, assistant to the Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Net Assessment, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. August 1998 - July 2000, Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
11. July 2000 - June 2002, Commander, 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash.
12. June 2002 - June 2003, Vice Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. June 2003 - November 2004, Commander, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. December 2004 - August 2006, Director of Operations, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. August 2006 - June 2007, Director, Air Force Strategic Planning, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2007 - October 2008, Director, Air Force Strategic Planning, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and Director, Air Force QDR, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C.
17. October 2008 - October 2011, Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
18. October 2011 - November 2012, Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint-Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
19. November 2012 – May 2014, Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
20. May 2014 – July 2015, Commander U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
21. July 2015 – Present, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1996 - August 1998, Assistant to the Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Net Assessment, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
2. November 2004 - July 2006, Director of Operations and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a brigadier general
3. October 2008 - October 2011, Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant general
4. May 2014 – July 2015, Commander U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
5. July 2015 – Present, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Hours flown: More than 3,100
Aircraft flown: C-5, C-17A, C-141B, C-37, KC-10, KC-135A and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1980
First Lieutenant May 28, 1982
Captain May 28, 1984
Major Jan. 1, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1994
Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2004
Major General June 2, 2007
Lieutenant General Oct. 8, 2008
General Nov. 29, 2012
(Current as of July 2015)