Donald J. Kutyna

Who is Donald J. Kutyna?

General Donald Joseph Kutyna is a retired United States Air Force Officer. He was commander in chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Space Command from 1990 to 1992, and commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado from 1987 to 1990.

He attended the University of Iowa for two years and subsequently was appointed to the United States Military Academy, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1957. He received a Master of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965. He completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1976.

Upon completing pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in September 1958, Kutyna was assigned to the 33rd Bombardment Squadron at March Air Force Base, California, serving as a B-47 combat crew commander until June 1963. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in June 1965, he was assigned to the Aerospace Research Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California, first as a student and then as a staff director, training test pilots and astronauts for U.S. aviation and space programs.