Lt. Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander and president of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, will deliver the spring commencement keynote address to graduates at Troy University’s Montgomery Campus on Monday, May 20.
The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts on the Montgomery Campus. More than 180 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony.
Gen. Cotton entered the Air Force through the ROTC program in 1986 when he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. He served as Deputy Director of the Secretary and Chief of Staff to the Air Force Executive Action Group, as Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. He was also the vice commander and commander of the 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and the commander of the 45th Space Wing and director of the Eastern Range, Patrick AFB, Florida.
Prior to his current assignment, Gen. Cotton served as the commander, 20th Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree in political science, Gen. Cotton also holds a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University. He also completed Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the U.S. Army War College, the 2017 Leadership Decision Making course at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the 2018 Harvard Seminar for New Presidents in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, among others.
He has received the Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with device, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Reconnaissance Office Medal of Distinguished Performance.
