A four-star Air Force general will be the speaker for this year's Armed Forces Day luncheon.

Gen. Bruce Carlson serves as Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Air Force and it is the 58th year for the city's Armed Forces Day Parade, Earl Freudenberg, publicity director, said.

The Air Forces Day Parade, with Gen. Carlson as the reviewing officer, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 4.

The luncheon is at noon at the Convention Center.

The command headed by Gen. Carlson conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war.

Gen. Carlson was born in Hibbing, Minn. He was commissioned in 1971 after completing the University of Minnesota's Air Force ROTC program as a distinguished graduate. He has held various assignments in flying units. Staff assignments have included positions at Tactical Air Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of Defense, and as the Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment with the Joint Staff. Additionally, he commanded the Air Force's stealth fighter wing, the 49th, at Holloman AFB, N.M. Prior to assuming his current position, General Carlson served as the Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La., and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.

Gen. Carlson is experienced in multiple aircraft weapons systems, is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, and has combat experience in the OV-10.

EDUCATION
1971 Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Minnesota, Duluth
1979 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1980 Master of Arts degree, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
1989 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1971 - May 1972, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. June 1972 - April 1973, student, F-4 Replacement Training Unit, Homestead AFB, Fla.
3. May 1973 - December 1974, F-4 pilot, 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
4. December 1974 - October 1975, OV-10 forward air controller and instructor pilot, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
5. October 1975 - November 1977, OV-10 instructor pilot and flight examiner, 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
6. December 1977 - April 1980, A-10 pilot and fighter weapons instructor pilot, 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C.
7. May 1980 - September 1982, aide to the Commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
8. October 1982 - June 1985, wing weapons officer, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, and operations officer, 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
9. July 1985 - June 1988, tactical systems requirements officer, Office of Low Observables Technology, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. July 1988 - June 1989, graduate student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
11. July 1989 - June 1991, Director of Advanced Programs, Headquarters TAC, Langley AFB, Va.
12. July 1991 - June 1993, Vice Commander, 366th Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
13. July 1993 - February 1995, senior military assistant to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, and senior military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
14. February 1995 - November 1996, Commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
15. November 1996 - June 1998, Director of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. June 1998 - December 1999, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. January 2000 - May 2002, Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J-8), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
18. May 2002 - April 2005, Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La.
19. April 2005 - August 2005, Commander, 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La., and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
20. August 2005 - present, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFMC, Ohio

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: F-4, OV-10, A-10, F-16, F-111, EF-111, AT-38, F-117 and B-52

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 12, 1971
First Lieutenant Dec. 12, 1972
Captain June 12, 1975
Major Nov. 1, 1982
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985
Colonel Feb. 1, 1991
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 1996
Major General Sept. 1, 1998
Lieutenant General Feb. 1, 2000
General Sept. 1, 2005