2012 Event Speaker:

Brigadier General Robert F. Cayton - Chief of Staff, MN Air National Guard :

Brigadier General Robert F Cayton
Minnesota Air National Guard

Brigadier General Robert F. Cayton is the Chief of Staff, Minnesota Air National Guard, and also serves as Air Component Commander of the Minnesota Air National Guard. As the Chief of Staff, General Cayton oversees operations, activities and vision for the 133rd Airlift Wing and the 148th Fighter Wing.

General Cayton began his military career by receiving a commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 1981. Prior to joining the Air National Guard, General Cayton served as a T-37 Instructor Pilot and as a C-130 Pilot, Instructor Pilot and RTU Instructor during nearly nine years of service on active duty. General Cayton has held numerous operational positions in the 109th Airlift Squadron of the Minnesota Air National Guard to include Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, Training Officer, Chief Pilot, Operations Officer, and Squadron Commander. He has also served as the 133rd Airlift Wing Operations Group Commander and 133rd Airlift Wing Vice Wing Commander. He has accumulated over 5000 hours while flying and instructing in the T-37 and C-130.

While deployed, General Cayton has served in a variety of leadership positions. He served as a Deputy Commander for Operations during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002 and as a Deputy Squadron Commander and Squadron Commander while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2010, General Cayton served as Deputy Operations Group Commander at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

ASSIGNMENTS:

July 1981 - July 1982, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
November 1982 - November 1984, Instructor Pilot, T-37B, 35th Flight Training Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas

November 1984 - November 1985, Academic Instructor, 64th Student Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas

November 1985 - November 1988, Pilot, 61st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas

November 1988 - November 1989, Instructor Pilot, C-130E, 62nd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas

May 1990 - January 1998, Pilot, 109th Airlift Squadron, Saint Paul, Minnesota

January 1998-September 2001, Chief Pilot, 109th Airlift Squadron, Saint Paul, Minnesota

September 2001 - January 2003, Operations Officer, 109th Airlift Squadron, Saint Paul, Minnesota

January 2003 - January 2005, Commander, 109th Airlift Squadron, Saint Paul, Minnesota

January 2005 - August 2007, Operations Group Commander, 133rd Airlift Wing, Saint Paul, Minnesota

August 2007 - November 2008, Vice Commander, 133rd Airlift Wing, Saint Paul, Minnesota

November 2008 - July 2010, Operations Group Commander, 133rd Airlift Wing, Saint Paul, Minnesota

July 2010 - Present, Chief of Staff, Minnesota Air National Guard, Saint Paul, Minnesota

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Aerial Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with Valor and 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border) and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 3)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Minnesota State Service Medal

General Cayton and Jon Lindstrand in 2012.