Peter Gersten
Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs (AF/A5/8)
U.S. Air Force
Maj. Gen. Peter E. Gersten is Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements. Responsible for aiding the DCS in developing the Air Force strategy and multi-domain operating concepts, integrating through centralized design, and validating and prioritizing capabilities-based requirements to achieve national defense objectives and deliver timely and effective capability to the warfighter.
Prior to the is role, Maj Gen Gersten served as Commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The USAFWC's mission is developing innovative leaders and full spectrum capabilities through responsive, realistic and relevant Air Force and joint testing, tactics development and advanced training across all levels of war. The center ensures deployed forces are well trained and well equipped to conduct integrated combat operations. From operational testing and tactics development programs to the advanced training schools, exercises and venues, the center provides Airmen with proven and tested technology, the most current tactics, superb academic training and a unique opportunity to practice integrated force employment. The center functions as a team of innovative, highly skilled Airmen providing effective weapons, tactics and command and control integrated across air, space and cyberspace for the Joint Force Commander. The USAFWC is organized under Air Combat Command into four wings, two named units and one detachment with more than 11,000 Airmen serving in the 57th Wing, 53rd Wing, 99th Air Base Wing, 505th Command and Control Wing, the Nevada Test and Training Range and the Air Force Joint Test Program Office.
General Gersten entered the Air Force in 1989 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School and the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in human factors engineering, and a minor in mathematics. He graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot training in 1991, and is a command pilot with more than 2,800 total flying hours and more than 400 combat hours over Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Bosnia.
The general has commanded a fighter squadron, fighter operations group, was the commander of the U.S. Air Force’s lead remotely piloted aircraft wing and air expeditionary wing. He has served as the Deputy Commander- Operations and Intelligence, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force- Levant, Air Combat Command, Southwest Asia and was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Programs leading a staff of military and civilians in the development, integration, evaluation and analysis of the Air Force Program across the Future Years Defense Plan. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Director of Strategic Plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.