Maj. Gen. Robert P. "Bob" Otto is the Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. General Otto is responsible for providing multisource ISR products, applications, capabilities and resources, as well as Cyber ISR forces and expertise. The AF ISR Agency includes the 70th and 480th ISR Wings; National Air and Space Intelligence Center; Air Force Technical Applications Center; 361st Special Operations Forces ISR Group; and all Air Force cryptologic operations. In his position as AF ISR Agency Commander, General Otto also serves as the Commander of the Service Cryptologic Component. In this capacity, he is responsible to the Director, National Security Agency, and Chief, Central Security Service, as the Air Force's sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities, including the spectrum of missions directly related to both tactical warfighting and national-level operations. In addition, as the Air Force Geospatial Intelligence Element Commander, General Otto facilitates AF GEOINT federation and integration into the National System for Geospatial Intelligence; orchestrates programmatic, policy and systemic requirements developed by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; and organizes, trains, equips and presents AF GEOINT forces.

General Otto entered the Air Force in 1982 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as a squadron, group and wing commander. His staff duties include three tours at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, one tour with the Operations Directorate on the Joint Staff, and one tour at Headquarters, Air Education and Training Command. He has also served as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chair and professor of military strategy at the National War College.

The general is a command pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the U-2, RQ-4, F-15, AT-38, T-38, O-2 and OT-37, with combat and combat support hours in Operation Southern Watch. His most recent deployment was in 2011 as the Air Forces Central Command Combined Air Operations Center Director, overseeing Air Force operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Southwest Asia.

EDUCATION

1982 Bachelor of Science degree in international affairs, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

1993 Master of Military Art and Science degree, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

1998 Air War College, by correspondence

2000 Master's degree in national security strategies, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

2007 Fellow, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

2010 National Security Studies Program, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. September 1982 - September 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.

2. November 1983 - February 1984, student, Air-Ground Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; and O-2 Replacement Training Unit, Patrick AFB, Fla.

3. February 1984 - December 1986, instructor pilot, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.

4. March 1987 - July 1987, F-15 RTU, Luke AFB, Ariz.

 
5. August 1987 - December 1989, Chief of Training, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.

6. March 1990 - November 1991, flight commander and instructor, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan

7. November 1991 - May 1992, Branch Chief, F-15 Standardization and Evaluation, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan

8. June 1992 - June 1993, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

9. June 1993 - May 1995, action officer, Air Force Chief of Staff Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

10. August 1995 - January 1997, assistant operations officer and operations officer, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.

11. January 1997 - January 1998, Chief of Safety, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.

12. May 1998 - June 1999, Commander, 560th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas

13. July 1999 - June 2000, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

14. July 2000 - June 2002, Commander, 611th Air Operations Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

15. July 2002 - June 2004, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chair and professor of military strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

16. June 2004 - July 2005, Vice Commander, 435th Air Base Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany

17. July 2005 - April 2006, Director of Inspections, Secretary of the Air Force Office of the Inspector General, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

 
18. April 2006 - June 2007, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Directorate (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

19. June 2007 - June 2008, Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas

20. June 2008 - April 2010, Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif.

21. April 2010 - July 2011, Director of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Capabilities, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

22. July 2011 - present, Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. July 2002 - June 2004, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chair and professor of military strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., as a colonel

2. April 2006 - June 2007, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Directorate (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel

3. January 2011 - May 2011, Director, Combined Air and Space Operations Center in support of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom, Southwest Asia, as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 2,800, with 50 combat and combat support hours
Aircraft flown: U-2, RQ-4, F-15A/B/C/D, AT-38, T-38, OT-37 and O-2

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant June 2, 1982
First Lieutenant June 2, 1984
Captain June 2, 1986
Major May 1, 1993
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1995
Colonel March 1, 2000
Brigadier General Nov. 2, 2007
Major General June 7, 2011