Topic: Victor Renuart

General Victor Eugene "Gene" Renuart, Jr., USAF is the current Commander, United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He previously served as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff. Renuart assumed his current assignment on March 23, 2007.

Renuart entered the Air Force in 1971 following graduation from Indiana University. He was commissioned through the Officer Training School in 1972 and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training. He has commanded a fighter squadron, a NATO support group, a fighter wing and a composite wing. He served as Commander of the 76th Fighter Squadron during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and supported Operation Deny Flight as Director of Plans for the NATO Combined Air Operations Center at Headquarters 5th Allied Tactical Air Force. In addition, he commanded Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) and 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Southwest Asia (9 ASETF) at Eskan Village in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was responsible for the control and execution of Operation Southern Watch. General Renuart then served as the Director of Operations (CCJ3) at Headquarters, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) at MacDill AFB, Florida and the USCENTCOM Forward Headquarters at Camp As Saliyah in Doha, Qatar, where he oversaw the planning and execution of all joint and allied combat, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction operations for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He also served as Vice Commander, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), where he was responsible for Air Force and Air Component Commander activities for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM). He has flown combat missions in Operations Desert Storm, Deny Flight, Northern Watch and Southern Watch.

Prior to assuming his current position, General Renuart was the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy for the Joint Staff (J5) and Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. He provided strategic direction, policy guidance, and planning focus to develop and execute the National Military Strategy in support of worldwide national security operations, politico-military affairs, international negotiations, and organizational issues through coordination with the combatant commands, the services, OSD, defense agencies, other U.S. government agencies and international organizations.