AU honors international alumni

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles Welty
  • Air University Public Affairs

Air University’s International Honor Roll program recognized 12 international officer graduates who have attained a prominent position in their home country, April 20, 2018, at the Maxwell Club here.

 

The AU alumni must have obtained a position equivalent to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (or higher) in either a military or civilian capacity to be considered.

 

Lt. Gen. Anthony Cotton, Air University commander and president, was the host for this year’s event. He welcomed six of the inductees who made the trip to Maxwell, with the remaining six being inducted in absentia.

 

This year’s inductees present were:

  • Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Theologos Symeonidis, Previous Cabinet Chief, Ministry of Defense- (previous) Commander, Hellenic Tactical Air Force

  • Lt. Gen. (Ret.) George Paraschopoulos, Previous Deputy Chief of Defense, Hellenic National Defense

  • Maj. Gen. Yousef Al Hnaity, Commander, Royal Jordanian Air Force

  • Maj. Gen. Zoltan Mihocza, Chief of Staff, Hungarian Defense Forces Joint Force Command

  • Lt. Gen. Galileo Gerard R. Kintanar Jr, Commanding General, Philippine Air Force

  • Air Chief Marshal Pongstorn Chaisen, Chairman of the Royal Thai Air Force Advisory

     

Those inducted in absentia:

  • Col. Salvador Ernesto Hernandez Vega, Chief of Staff of the Salvadoran Air Force

  • Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Fernando R. Ordonez Velazquez, previous Vice Minister of Defense for Policy, Peru

  • Gen. Manuel Teixeira Rolo, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Portugal

  • Gen. Javier Salto Martinez-Avial, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Spain

  • Brig. Gen. Enoch Numbi, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Dr. Khalid Bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Qatar

     

Additionally, Gen. Jorge D. Robles, Commander, Chilean Air Force, was inducted during the ceremony as a 2015 inductee.