Westgate, Steven

Brigadier General Steven Westgate is a native of Savannah Georgia. He attended Savannah public schools and Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida culminating with a degree in Business Administration in May 1969. He joined the Georgia Air National Guard in April 1969 and attended US Air Force Basic Military Training. He received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant and then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams AFB, Arizona from September 1969 to August 1970. He returned to the 165 Airlift Group, Georgia ANG which later became the 165 Airlift Wing. Gen Westgate is a Command Pilot with 8000 hours in the C-124 Globemaster , C-130 Hercules and other trainer and civilian aircraft. He has flown missions all over the world, to include VietNam, Indonesia, Bosnia, Uganda, Somalia and Iraq. His aircrew qualifications include aircraft commander, instructor and flight examiner. He was employed as an Air Technician with the Georgia National Guard from 1974 to 2005. He served in training, safety, disaster preparedness, plans and stan eval. He attended Air War College in residence completing the course May 1986. He was the Volant Oak Liaison Officer at Howard Air Force Base Panama from January through May 1987. In 2003 he served as the Deputy Director of Mobility Forces at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. He held various assignments in the 165 AW to include the Director of Operations, Wing Vice Commander and finally Wing Commander from December 1999 through November 2004. As an Air Technician he served as Instructor Pilot, Air Operations Officer and was the Air Commander for over 18 years. Gen Westgate became the Georgia Air National Guard Chief of Staff in Dec 2004. He has flown mission in or in support of, or deployed to the following exercises/contingencies: Volant Oak, Coronet Oak, REFORGER, Urgent Fury, Restore Hope, Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard, Joint Forge, Dessert Shield, Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He has served as a Battle Commander and Chief of Combat Operations at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, First Air Force (AFNORTH), Tyndall AFB, Florida in 2006 and 2007. He served as the Vice Commander of First Air Force from October 2007 through April 2008. In this capacity he was involved in all aspects of Operation Noble Eagle and air defense for North America. This also included coordinating Defense Support of Civil Authorities with Northern Command. He is a Life Member of the Air Force Association, the Reserve Officers Association, the National Guard Association of the United States and the National Guard Association of Georgia. He is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia. He has served as President of the Savannah Kiwanis Club and continues as a member. He is an avid boater and maintains a U S Coast Guard Captain’s license. He is married to Major (Ret) Elizabeth Westgate and resides in Savannah. They have three children, Rebecca, Sara and Christopher.