Commander, US Southern Command
General Douglas Fraser comes to U.S. Southern Command from U.S. Pacific
Command, where he served as the Deputy Commander from 2008-2009. He is a
1975 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a native of Colorado.
He spent three years of high school in Bogota, Colombia, graduating from
Colegio Nueva Granada in 1971.
General Fraser has commanded operational units across the U.S. Air
Force, including the 12th Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan,
the 366th Operations Group at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and
the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska from 2000-2002.
Following his time at the 3rd Wing, he commanded the Space Warfare
Center at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado and four distinct commands
while serving his second time in Alaska, including Alaskan Command, the
Alaskan North American Defense Region, Joint Task Force Alaska, and
Eleventh Air Force at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
General Fraser’s staff assignments include Aide to the 12th Air
Force Commander, action officer for Air Force’s Directorate of Programs
and Resources, the Air Force Chief of Staff’s Action Group, and analysis
assistant in the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy
and Requirements. He also served as the Director of the Chief of Staff’s
Air Force Operations Group from 1996-1997, as the Executive Assistant
to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command from 1999-2000, and was
the Director of Air and Space Operations for Air Force Space Command
from 2003-2005.
General Fraser’s operational flying assignments include Bitburg Air
Base, Germany; Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; Holloman Air Force Base,
New Mexico; Kadena Air Base, Japan; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho;
and Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. He is a command pilot with more
than 2,800 flying hours, primarily in the F-15A/B/C/D, the F-15E and the
F-16.
General Fraser graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1975
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He earned a
Masters Degree in Political Science from Auburn University in 1987. He
is also a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff
College, National War College, and the Joint Flag Officer Warfighting
Course.
His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal,
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Legion
of Merit.