Steven A. Cray

Steven A. Cray
Major General Steven A. Cray (as a Brigadier general)
Born	June 15, 1964 Burlington, Vermont
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1984 to present
Rank	Major General
Unit	Vermont National Guard
Commands held	Vermont National Guard (March, 2013 to present)
Awards	Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal
Other work	Commercial Airline Pilot, American Airlines
Website	http://www.vtguard.com

Major General Steven A. Cray (born June 15, 1964) is the Adjutant General of Vermont. In this post he serves as the senior uniformed officer in the state, and is responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. As Adjutant General, he also serves as inspector general, quartermaster general and head of the State Military Department, including Veterans Affairs.

Early life

Steven A. Cray was born in Burlington, Vermont on June 15, 1964.^[1] He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.^[2]

Military career

General Cray enlisted in the Vermont Air National Guard while a student at UVM. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant after graduating from the Academy of Military Science in 1984.^[3]

He became a pilot and attained the rating of command pilot, logging over 2,500 hours of military flying, mostly in the F-16.^[4] He is a qualified Joint Task Force Commander. General Cray held a variety of command, supervisory and staff positions in the 158th Fighter Wing and Vermont Joint Force Headquarters. Prior to his appointment as Adjutant General he served as Assistant Adjutant General for Air.^[5]

Election as Adjutant General

In 2012 Michael Dubie left the Adjutant General's position to become Deputy Commander of United States Northern Command. He was succeeded on an interim basis by Thomas E. Drew.

In February, 2013 Cray defeated three other candidates in the Vermont General Assembly election for the position.^[6] (In Vermont, the Adjutant General is elected for a two-year term in secret balloting by a combined meeting of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont State Senate in February of each odd-numbered year.)^[7]

Cray was promoted to Major General and took over from Drew in a ceremony on March 1, 2013, and Drew retired.^[8]

Reelection as Adjutant General

On February 19, 2015 the Vermont General Assembly reelected Cray to a two-year term. He was unopposed, and won by unanimous voice vote.^[9]

Civilian career

Before becoming Adjutant General, General Cray was employed as a commercial airline pilot with American Airlines, and logged over 10,000 flight hours.^[10] He also served as President of the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation and on other civic and charitable boards and commissions.^[11][12]

Education

• 1989 University of Vermont, Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, Burlington, Vermont
• 2003 Air War College, by correspondence
• 2007 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
• 2007 Dual Status Title 10/32 Joint Task Force Commander’s Course, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• 2011 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Assignments

1. January 1985 - February 1986, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
2. March 1986 - April 1986, Student, AT-38, Fighter Lead-In Training, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
3. April 1986 - November 1986, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
4. November 1986 - January 1989, Assistant Standards and Evaluation Officer, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
5. January 1989 - July 1992, Safety Officer/Flight Lead, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
6. July 1992 - April 1994, Instructor Pilot, F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
7. April 1994 - August 1997, Supervisor of flying/Flight Commander F-16, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
8. August 1997 - September 2002, Standards and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 134th Fighter Squadron, Burlington, Vermont
9. September 2002 - May 2004, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
10. May 2004 - May 2006, Director of Plans and Programs, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
11. May 2006 - April 2009, Chief of Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
12. April 2009 – March 2013, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Vermont National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Air National Guard, Colchester, Vermont
13. March 2013 – Present, The Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Colchester, Vermont

Flight Information

General Cray holds the rating of Command Pilot. He has flown more than 2,500 hours. The aircraft he has flown include the F-16A/B/C/D, AT-38, T-38, and T-37.

Awards and decorations

	US Air Force Command Pilot Badge

	Legion of Merit
	Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Aerial Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 2 bronze oak leaf cluster and "V" for Valor
	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
	Combat Readiness Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
	National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
	Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass, “M” Device, and numeral 2
	Air Force Training Ribbon

Effective Dates of Promotions

Promotions

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Major General	March 1, 2013
	Brigadier General	September 27, 2007
	Colonel	June 4, 2004
	Lieutenant Colonel	August 2, 1998
	Major	July 9, 1994
	Captain	August 1, 1989
	First Lieutenant	January 10, 1987
	Second Lieutenant	December 6, 1984[13]

References

1. U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1, entry for Steven A. Cray, accessed March 2, 2013
2. National Defense University, Biography, Steven A. Cray, CAPSTONE Course Student Directory, 2011, page 18
3. Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Biography, Steven A. Cray, accessed March 2, 2013
4. Wilson Ring, Associated Press, Vt. Legislature Poised to Elect New Guard Chief, Boston Globe, February 19, 2013
5. Peter Hirschfeld, Vermont Press Bureau, Steven Cray to Serve as Next Adjutant General of Vermont National Guard, February 21, 2013
6. Wilson Ring, Associated Press, Challenges Await Incoming Vt. Guard Chief, February 21, 2013
7. Vermont Emergency Management Agency, Annex O, Vermont Emergency Management Plan, 2011, page 1
8. Sam Hemingway, Burlington Free Press, Cray Takes Helm of Vermont Guard in Ceremony at Camp Johnson, March 1, 2013
9. Associated Press (February 19, 2015). "Vermont Lawmakers Oust Incumbent Sergeant-at-Arms, Re-elect Guard Chief, Elect 3 to UVM Board". Johnson County Daily Journal (Franklin, IN).
10. Nancy Remsen, Burlington Free Press, 'Strategic thinker' Cray to Lead Guard, February 21, 2013
11. Bizpedia, Profile, Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, April 14, 2012
12. Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, Board of Directors Biography, Steven A. Cray, accessed March 2, 2013
13. National Guard Bureau, Biographical sketch, Steven A. Cray