Major General Stephen M. McElroy

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

MAJOR GENERAL STEPHEN M. MCELROY

Retired Sep. 1, 1993.

Major General Stephen M. McElroy is the Air Force program executive officer for tactical strike, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

General McElroy was born in 1940, in San Francisco and graduated from Del Valley High School, Austin, Texas, in 1959. He earned a bachelor of science degree in physics from Sam Houston State University in 1962 and a master's degree in aerospace engineering through the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1966. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1967, Air Command and Staff College in 1972, Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1980, and the program for senior executives in national and international security at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in 1986.

A distinguished graduate of Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, the general was commissioned as a second lieutenant in November 1962. He then was assigned as a Minuteman missile crewmember at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. In July 1966 he was assigned to the Engineering Division, 4000th Aerospace Applications Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where he served as upper-stage engineer for Burner II and satellite engineer for Block IV systems, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program.

In June 1968 General McElroy was assigned to the Missile Instrumentation Directorate, 1st Strategic Aerospace Division, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. During this tour of duty, he managed the planning for and installation of missile-borne instrumentation for more than 200 Titan and Minuteman missile launches.

After graduating from Air Command and Staff College in June 1972, he returned to the 4000th Aerospace Applications Group, Offutt Air Force Base, as chief of the Electronics Maintenance Branch. He later served as chief of the Logistics Division. In July 1975 he was assigned to the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Office, Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif., where he served successively as director of ground systems, director of operations and director of engineering.

The general completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in July 1980 and was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. There, he served as senior space shuttle program element monitor; then as chief, Space Launch and Control Division; and later as deputy director of space systems and command, control and communications. From October 1982 to August 1983 he was deputy director of space in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations.

General McElroy next was assigned as deputy for defense meteorological satellite systems, Headquarters Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station. In February 1985 he became assistant deputy chief of staff for systems, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. In June 1987 he was assigned to the Armament Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., as deputy commander for research, development and acquisition. He was named vice commander of Munitions Systems Division, Eglin Air Force Base, in June 1988, retaining his research, development and acquisition responsibilities. He assumed his present position in March 1990.

The general's military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and Combat Readiness Medal.

He was promoted to major general July 1, 1990, with same date of rank.

(Current as of August 1991)