The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

Bunch formally promoted to major general

by Kenji Thuloweit, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs • August 23, 2013

Arnold "Arnie" Bunch Jr., Air Force Test Center commander, has his wife Caroline and his father Arnie Sr. pin on his major general rank of two stars during his promotion ceremony Aug. 23. Bunch was formally promoted to major general after being frocked to the rank in April. The ceremony was attended by family and friends along with Airmen, civilians and contractors of Team Edwards. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rebecca Amber)
Arnold “Arnie” Bunch Jr., Air Force Test Center commander, has his wife Caroline and his father Arnie Sr. pin on his major general rank of two stars during his promotion ceremony Aug. 23. Bunch was formally promoted to major general after being frocked to the rank in April. The ceremony was attended by family and friends along with Airmen, civilians and contractors of Team Edwards. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rebecca Amber)

EDWARDS AFB – Team Edwards joined family and friends of Arnold W. Bunch Jr. to watch him formally promoted to major general Aug. 23. The promotion ceremony took place in the Base Theater and was presided over by Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger, Air Force Materiel Command commander.

Bunch was frocked in April and has already been wearing the major general rank device of two stars on his uniform; and he had assumed the responsibilities of a major general when he became the first Air Force Test Center commander during the summer of 2012 following the 5-Center reorganization of AFMC. This month, Bunch officially attained the pay grade of a major general.

Wolfenbarger praised Bunch’s wide range of experience in which he excelled both in and out of the flight test world and how he is more than ready to tackle the position of two-star general.

“We [the Air Force] are very careful with choosing those people with the right mix of experience, wisdom, character and leadership to fill those positions at these kinds of levels and that is absolutely the case today with General Bunch,” said Wolfenbarger.

Bunch is no stranger to Edwards AFB.

A U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School graduate, Bunch returned to Edwards to serve as the 419th Flight Test Squadron commander and later as the 412th Test Wing commander.

“To the men and women of the Air Force Test Center, those in attendance and all the rest across the enterprise, ‘thank you’ for your support,” said Bunch. “It is a privilege to work for you. I wake up every day knowing I have the best job in the Air Force and it is all because of you. Your professional conduct sets the standard that others should emulate; as you dedicate yourselves to testing systems for the warfighter and providing world-class test support. That’s not just here at Edwards, you are the ones who are able to be in attendance here today, but also for Eglin AFB, Arnold AFB and the rest of the test center enterprise. You amaze me every day. I get up smiling and go to bed smiling because you make it special.  Thank you for what you do every day to make the test center successful.”

Bunch thanked his family and friends for their attendance, along with several of his Air Force Academy and Test Pilot School classmates before wrapping up the ceremony and inviting Team Edwards to a reception at Club Muroc.

General Bunch was commissioned in 1984 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed undergraduate pilot training in 1985. He completed operational assignments as an instructor, evaluator and aircraft commander for B-52 Stratofortresses. Following graduation from the Air Force Test Pilot School, Bunch conducted developmental testing in the B-2 Spirit and B-52 and served as an instructor in each. Additionally, he has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Commander of the Air Force Security Assistance Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

As the AFTC commander, he directs a $31 billion enterprise of more than 18,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel across Edwards AFB, Eglin AFB, Fla., and Arnold AFB, Tenn. The AFTC provides developmental test and evaluation of experimental and research manned and unmanned air, space and cyber systems for military services, DARPA, NASA and international partners, in addition to operation of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.

–

Filed Under: Edwards AFB

Recent Comments

  • Tim Scott on Op-ed: Gascón’s recent statements are 100% false: “Do these corrupt ADAs EVER get tired of vomiting out these screeds?” Jun 24, 21:11
  • Tim Scott on Family urges judge not to reverse convicted killer’s death sentence: “Make me, clown. Or be like Mike and type big while packing a pair of BBs.” Jun 24, 20:37
  • Tim Scott on Family urges judge not to reverse convicted killer’s death sentence: “You think someone in prison is in any position to defend themselves? How out of touch with reality are you?…” Jun 24, 20:35
  • Fred on Family urges judge not to reverse convicted killer’s death sentence: “Youand oracle boy can have 500 shots if it helps you two skeeters focus on the actual topic..thaaaanx” Jun 24, 18:02
  • Fred on Family urges judge not to reverse convicted killer’s death sentence: “The irony underwhelms.” Jun 24, 17:59

Copyright © 2022 · The AV Times LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use