John Hyten

General John Hyten (Ret.) served as the 11th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retiring in November 2021 after a distinguished 40-year career in the United States Air Force. In this role, Gen. Hyten served as the nation’s second highest ranking military officer, responsible for supporting and overseeing joint military requirements for nearly 1.5 million service members and their families across the U.S. Armed Forces.

Gen Hyten (Ret.) previously led Air Force Space Command from 2014 to 2016 and U.S. Strategic Command from 2016 to 2019. Among many other assignments, he was deployed to Southwest Asia as the Director of Space Forces for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He has received numerous awards and recognition including, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters; and Commendation Medals from both Air Force and the Army.

He attended Harvard University on an Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and applied sciences. He also holds his MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery and is a distinguished graduate from Squadron Officer School as well as Air Command and Staff College. He was also a National Defense Fellow at the University of Illinois.