Bradley Clark Hosmer

LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRADLEY C. HOSMER, USAF (RET.)

Lieutenant General Bradley C. Hosmer stands among the most distinguished members of the United States Air Force Academy’s First Class. A pioneering scholar, combat aviator, commander, and senior leader, he became the first Academy graduate to serve as Superintendent—returning to lead the institution that shaped him from 1991 to 1994. His career reflects the highest ideals of the Long Blue Line.

EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION
Bradley Clark Hosmer was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Colonel Clark L. Hosmer, a 1936 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Growing up in a military family, he spent part of his childhood in France and attended Paris American High School, where he excelled academically and athletically. Exceptionally gifted, he graduated from high school at age 16.

General Hosmer graduated with the Class of 1959 as the very first cadet to officially receive his degree at the Academy’s inaugural commencement. Selected as USAFA’s first Rhodes Scholar, he earned a master’s degree in international relations from Oxford University in 1962. He later completed professional military education at Squadron Officer School, the Naval War College, and the National War College.

OPERATIONAL AND COMBAT SERVICE

Following pilot training, General Hosmer served as an instructor pilot before deploying to Vietnam. There he flew as a Forward Air Controller with the 1st Cavalry Division and later served as a war plans officer for the 7th Air Force. A command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, he flew a wide range of aircraft including the T‑33, T‑37, AT‑38, O‑1, F‑4, F‑16, F‑15, F‑100, and F‑111.

LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND

General Hosmer held command at every level of the operational Air Force:
- Commander, 479th Tactical Training Wing
- Commander, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing
- Commander, 831st Air Division

He later served in senior strategic roles, including:

- Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Pacific Air Forces
- Vice Director, Joint Staff
- President, National Defense University
- Inspector General of the Air Force
- Superintendent, United States Air Force Academy (1991–1994)

In 1991, he became the first USAFA graduate to serve as Superintendent, guiding the Academy through a period of modernization and institutional renewal.

POST‑MILITARY SERVICE

After retiring from active duty in 1994, General Hosmer continued to shape national defense, education, and public service through influential roles, including:

- Member, Air University Board of Visitors (1995–2004)
- Chair, Air Force Commission (1996)
- Principal, Air Force Developing Leaders Project, SAIC (1996–2001)
- Chairman, National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (2000–2002)
- Chairman, Armed Forces Services Corporation (2001–2016)
- Regent, University of New Mexico (2011–2018)

His post‑military work reflects the same commitment to leadership development and national service that defined his Air Force career.

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

- Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
- Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Bronze Star Medal (2)
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Medal (6)
- Air Force Commendation Medal

LEGACY

General Bradley C. Hosmer’s career embodies the pioneering spirit of the Class of 1959. As the Academy’s first Rhodes Scholar, first graduate Superintendent, and first cadet to receive a USAFA diploma, he helped define what it means to be a leader of character. His influence continues to shape the Academy, the Air Force, and the generations of officers who follow in the path he helped forge.

In May 2026, the United States Air Force Academy honored his lifelong service by naming its new visitor facility—the General Bradley and Zita Hosmer Welcome Center—in recognition of his leadership, vision, and enduring impact on the Academy’s mission.