Westgate Earns Promotion to Brigadier General; Savannah Native Leads 3,000 Georgia Air Guardsmen

May 1, 2006 -- Steven Westgate of Savannah, Vice Commander of the 3,300-member Georgia Air National Guard has received a promotion to the rank of Brigadier General in the Georgia Air National Guard.

General Westgate is currently on a temporary Aerospace Expeditionary Force assignment as a Battle Commander for NORAD for the Continental U.S. stationed at Tyndall AFB, FL.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Brig Gen Westgate attended graduated from Savannah High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Rollins College in 1969. His military education includes Squadron Officers School and Air Command and Staff College. He graduated from Air War College in residence in 1986.

General Westgate began his military career enlisting in the 165th Military Airlift Group in April 1969. After basic training, he received a direct commission and attended pilot training at Williams AFB. AZ. He was later assigned to the 158th Military Airlift Squadron in Savannah flying C-124 Globemaster aircraft and participated in numerous missions into Southeast Asia. In 1975, he became a fulltime Air Technician at the Savannah ANG unit.

Brigadier General Westgate has held various command positions in the 165th Airlift Wing including Chief of Command Post, Chief of Plans, Director of Operations, and Wing Vice Commander. He assumed command of the 900-member airlift wing 1999. In September 2004, Westgate was appointed Chief of Staff of the 3,000-member Georgia Air National Guard and later Vice Commander, Georgia Air National Guard.

Brig. Gen. Westgate is a Command Pilot with more than 8,000 flying hours. His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit (LOM), Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; the Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster. He also earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with eight oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters among others.

He is a member of the Savannah Kiwanis Club and a member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Military/Civilian Relations Council. He is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia programs.

Brig. Gen. Westgate and his wife reside in Savannah and the couple has three children.

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