Thomas Mikolajcik
Encyclopedia
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He provided guidance and direction to Air Force activities on transportation plans, policy and programs. Also included is the movement of Air Force-sponsored passengers, patients, personal property (household goods, unaccompanied baggage, privately owned vehicles, mobile homes and weapons), and cargo by all modes of commercial and military carriers.
General Mikolajcik was a 1969 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. He completed pilot training in 1970, and served as a C-141
C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
pilot, instructor, aircraft commander, war plans officer, current operations officer, mobility project officer, and adviser to the chief of staff for airlift and logistics policy. He held several staff positions including as a member of the C-X taskforce that wrote the requirements for the C-17 Globemaster III. He also served as squadron commander, wing vice commander and commander of two wings. Additionally, he was the U.S. Air Force component commander in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
from December 1992 to March 1993 during Operation Restore Hope. He was a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours.
General Mikolajcik retired from military service on October 1, 1996.
The Mikolajcik Child Development Center at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina and the Mikolajcik Engineering Laboratory Center at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
are named in his honor.