Joseph T. Guastella Jr. is a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force, who serves as the commanding general of United States Air Forces Central Command. He was commissioned upon his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987. Lt. Gen. Joseph T. Guastella, Jr. is Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia. As the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command, the General is responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia. General Guastella entered the Air Force in 1987 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II. He has served multiple combat tours and flown combat missions in support of operations Just Cause and Desert Storm. He further instructed at the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School. General Guastella has commanded the 555th Fighter Squadron, “Triple Nickel,” Aviano Air Base, Italy, the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. As a general officer, he served at the Pentagon as the Deputy Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs. Following his reassignment, he was selected as Commander of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. He served as the Deputy Director of Requirements, Joint Staff and was subsequently assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, NATO. Most recently he served as the Director of Integrated Air, Space, Cyberspace and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations at Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, National War College and the Senior Executive Fellows program.
June 2001 - August 2002, action officer, Joint Strike Fighter and Combat Identification Programs, Headquarters Air Force, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Washington, D.C.
August 2002 - October 2003, operations officer, 555th FS, Aviano AB, Italy
October 2003 - July 2005, commander, 555th FS, Aviano AB, Italy
August 2005 - July 2006, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
June 2006 - June 2007, U.S. CENTAF, forward and CAOC Director of Operations, Southwest Asia
June 2007 - August 2008, Deputy Director CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
August 2008 - October 2008, vice commander, 20th FW, Shaw AFB, S.C.
October 2008 - June 2010, commander, 20th FW, Shaw AFB, S.C.
June 2010 - July 2011, Chief Program Integration Division, Directorate of Programs, DCS Strategic Plans and Programs, the Pentagon Washington, D.C.
July 2011 - June 2012, Deputy Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
July 2012 - July 2013, commander, 455th AEW, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
July 2013 - July 2015, Deputy Director of Requirements, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
July 2015 - July 2017, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, SHAPE, Casteau Belgium
July 2017 - August 2018, Director of Integrated Air, Space, Cyberspace and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
August 2018 - present, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, Southwest Asia.