Major General Michael D. Pavich

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL D. PAVICH

Retired July 1, 1993.

Major General Michael D. Pavich is commander of the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. The center has worldwide responsibility for logistics support of aircraft, space and missile equipment, and communications-electronics meteorological systems and equipment.

General Pavich was born in 1942, in Salt Lake City and graduated from Jordan High School in 1960. He earned a bachelor of science degree in military science from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964 and a master of science degree in aerospace engineering through the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1972. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1968, Armed Forces Staff College in 1975, National War College in 1979 and the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in 1986.

Upon graduation from the academy he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He completed pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in August 1965 and was assigned to the 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Tactical Air Command, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., flying RF-4C Phantoms. In July 1966 he transferred with the 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron as part of the first RF-4C unit assigned to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He later flew with the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Udorn and completed 100 combat missions over North Vietnam.

In February 1967 the general was assigned to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, as an RF-4C aircraft commander with the 22nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. He later served as standardization and evaluation flight examiner with the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Mountain Home. After graduating from the Air Force Institute of Technology in July 1972, he became chief of weapons system engineering for the F-4 and F-101 at Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

General Pavich completed Armed Forces Staff College in January 1975 and returned to Shaw Air Force Base, where he served as operations officer and, later, commander of the 62nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. After completing the National War College in June 1979, he was assigned to the Air Force Academy as deputy commandant for military instruction.

In November 1980 he returned to the Ogden Air Logistics Center as chief of the Aircraft System Management Division, Directorate of Materiel Management. From July 1982 to June 1984 General Pavich was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., first as deputy director, and, later, as director for theater force analyses under the assistant chief of staff for studies and analyses. He then became director of materiel management at Ogden Air Logistics Center.

In June 1987 he was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as commander of the Logistics Operations Center, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, and in June 1989, as deputy chief of staff for materiel management, AFLC headquarters. He assumed his present command in November 1990.

The general is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours. His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster and Combat Readiness Medal.

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

(Current as of June 1991)