BIO:
General Howie Chandler transitioned from military service following duty as the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force in March 2011 after completing over 36 years of distinguished service. As the second highest ranking officer in the Air Force, he formulated Air Force policy and guidance for over 680,000 Active-Duty, Guard, Reserve and Civilian Airmen serving in the United States and overseas. He was responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Air Force personnel for worldwide operations. General Chandler presided over the Air Staff and served as a voting member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council, reviewing major Department of Defense programs. He led and was responsible for resourcing decisions involving the Air Force’s $120 billion budget as Chair of the Air Force Council.
General Chandler’s numerous assignments as an Air Force general officer covered 14 years and included Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; Air Force Headquarters Director of Operations; Commander, Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force; Director of Operations for Air Combat Command during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom; Air Staff Director for Operational Plans; NATO Chief of Staff for Allied Air Forces Southern Europe during the Air War over Serbia; and Commander of the 56th Fighter Wing, the Air Force’s largest fighter wing. He served overseas in Japan, Saudi Arabia and Italy. General Chandler was a career fighter pilot with more than 3900 hours of flying time in the F-15C/E, F-16C, and T-38. A complete military biography can be found at: www.af.mil/information/bios/index.asp.
Following military service, General Chandler was an independent consultant for several large domestic defense companies. During that period, he was also a member of the Washington Mutual Investors Fund Advisory Board. He subsequently accepted the position of Vice President for Military Business Development and International Programs at Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, a United Technologies Company. At Pratt and Whitney, he was responsible for worldwide support and interoperability of over 7000 military engines for 33 nations, including the United States Air Force, and Navy and Marine Corps. In April 2015, General Chandler accepted a position as a Strategic Advisor at the Law Firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in Washington D.C. as part of the Government Relations and Public Policy Practice, specializing in Federal Aerospace and Defense Policy. As a member of the Aerospace and Defense Team, he advised a wide variety of domestic and international clients regarding Department of Defense acquisition policy and programs as well as assisting communities with enhancing the value of their local military installations and missions. In July 2019, General Chandler transitioned to be an independent contractor with Baker, Donelson working with many of the same clients he advised over the previous four years. He is also an advisor to the Bethel Native Corporation in his home State of Alaska.
This program was recorded at 49th State Brewing CO. on Thursday, November 14th.
About the Alaska World Affairs Council:
The Alaska World Affairs Council is a focused educational organization dedicated to stimulating interests in world affairs and inspiring its members to be involved in world events.
The council was founded in 1958 by the late Evangeline Atwood with the conviction that better community education in world affairs is necessary for sound democratic citizenship. The Council does not take a stand on current-day issues but rather provides the population a wide spectrum of viewpoints and background information through its diverse range of programs and activities. The Alaska World Affairs Council is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, non-partisan organization which is membership-based and is one of approximately 90 members of the World Affairs Councils of America in Washington, DC.
Ammon Swenson is Alaska Public Media’s Audio Media Content Producer. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He graduated from UAA in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and integrated media. He’s previously worked for KRUA radio, the Anchorage Press, and The Northern Light.
