U N I T E D   S T A T E S   A
I R   F O R C E

LIEUTENANT GENERAL STEVEN R.
POLK

Retired Feb. 1, 2006.

Lt. Gen. Steven R. Polk is
the Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of
the Air Force, Washington, D.C. He oversees Air Force inspection
policy, criminal investigations, counterintelligence operations,
intelligence oversight, complaints, and fraud, waste and abuse
programs. He is also responsible for two field operating agencies -
the Air Force Inspection Agency and Air Force Office of Special
Investigations.

General Polk is from Bay City, Texas. He
graduated and was commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in
June 1968 with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical
engineering. Prior to his current assignment, he was Vice Commander,
Pacific Air Forces. Other assignments include worldwide flying duty
and a tour as an instructor and assistant professor of engineering
mechanics at the academy. Staff appointments include Director of
Operations at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces and Assistant Chief of
Staff for Operations at Headquarters Allied Air Forces Northwestern
Europe, NATO, as well as duty at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in
Europe and Headquarters U.S. Air Force. General Polk has commanded a
tactical fighter squadron, a tactical training wing, an operations
group, two fighter wings and a numbered air
force.

EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of Science degree in
aeronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs,
Colo.
1974 Master of Science degree in engineering, Arizona State
University, Tempe
1988 Master of Arts degree in national security
and strategic studies, Naval War College, Newport,
R.I.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1968 - August 1969,
student, undergraduate pilot training, Craig Air Force Base,
Ala.
2. September 1969 - December 1969, student, pilot instructor
training, Perrin AFB, Texas
3. December 1969 - December 1972,
instructor pilot and class commander, Craig AFB, Ala.
4. January
1973 - May 1974, graduate student, Arizona State University,
Tempe
5. June 1974 - May 1978, instructor and assistant professor
of engineering mechanics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs,
Colo.
6. June 1978 - October 1978, student, F-111 training,
Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
7. November 1978 - June 1981, aircraft
commander, instructor pilot and flight commander, 55th Tactical
Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England
8. June
1981 - July 1983, standardization and evaluation staff officer and
F-111E flight examiner, later, executive officer, Deputy Chief of
Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe,
Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
9. August 1983 - November 1984,
F-16 pilot, 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and Chief of Training,
401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Torrejon AB, Spain
10. November 1984
- June 1987, operations officer, later, Commander, 612th Tactical
Fighter Squadron, later, Deputy Commander, 401st Combat Support
Group, Torrejon AB, Spain
11. July 1987 - June 1988, student,
Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
12. July 1988 - July 1989,
Chief, War and Mobilization Planning Division, later, Deputy
Assistant Director of Plans for Joint and National Security Council
Matters, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations,
Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. July 1989 -
June 1990, executive officer to the Vice Chief of Staff,
Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 1990 -
October 1991, Vice Commander, later, Commander, 58th Tactical
Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
15. October 1991 - June 1992,
Commander, 58th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
16. July 1992 -
June 1993, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South
Korea
17. July 1993 - March 1994, Chief, Quality Division,
Directorate of Programs and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force,
Washington, D.C.
18. March 1994 - October 1995, Assistant Chief
of Staff for Plans and Policy, Headquarters United Kingdom Air
Forces, later, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations Headquarters
Allied Air Forces Northwestern Europe; and Deputy Commander for NATO
affairs, Headquarters 3rd Air Force, RAF High Wycombe,
England
19. November 1995 - May 1997, Commander, 51st Fighter
Wing, Osan AB, South Korea
20. May 1997 - May 1999, Director of
Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam
AFB, Hawaii
21. May 1999 - January 2002, Commander, 19th Air
Force, Randolph AFB, Texas
22. March 2002 - November 2003, Vice
Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
23. December
2003 - present, Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the
Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT
INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than
4,400
Aircraft flown: More than thirty different aircraft,
including the F-16, F-111, T-6A, T-37, T-38 and
C-130

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished
Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Superior Service
Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious
Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement
Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Order of National Security
Merit, Cheonsu Medal, Republic of Korea

EFFECTIVE DATES OF
PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1968
First Lieutenant
Dec. 5, 1969
Captain June 5, 1971
Major Jan. 1,
1980
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1984
Colonel July 1,
1988
Brigadier General July 15, 1994
Major General Aug. 1,
1997
Lieutenant General March 1, 2002

(Current as of
January 2006)