Brigadier General Matthew W. Higer is the Commander, 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California. He leads a wing of nearly 8,000 personnel in the developmental test and evaluation of the KC-46, KC-135, KC-10, C-17, C-5, F-35, F-22, F-16, B-21, B-1, B-2, B-52, eT-7A, RQ-4 and emerging technologies. Additionally, General Higer is the Installation Commander responsible for base operations support for more than 19,500 active duty, reserve, civil service and defense industrial base contractors at Edwards, the second largest base in the U.S. Air Force, and Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
General Higer earned his commission in 1993 from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Southern California. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College, the United States Naval Postgraduate School, the United States Air Force Squadron Officer School, and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He holds a Level 3 Acquisition Professional Development Program certification in Program Management and Test and Evaluation. General Higer was previously the Commandant of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Vice Commander of the 96th Test Wing and commanded two squadrons.
General Higer is a command pilot with more than 3,000 military flight hours in 40 aircraft types as an experimental test pilot, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot. His military flight experience includes combat missions during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California
1994 Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California
2007 Master of Business Administration, United States Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2015 Master of Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1994 - August 1995, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. August 1995 - August 1996, Student, F-16 Flying Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. October 1996 - April 1998, F-16 Flight Lead, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
4. April 1998 - January 2001, F-16 Evaluator Pilot, 18th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. February 2001 - December 2002, Flight Commander, 310th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. January 2003 - December 2003, Student, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
7. January 2004 - June 2006, Assistant Director of Operations, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
8. July 2006 - December 2007, Student, United States Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
9. November 2009 - July 2014, various duties (data masked)
10. July 2014 - June 2015, Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
11. July 2015 - July 2017, Vice Commander, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
12. July 2017 - July 2018, Commandant, US Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
13. July 2018 – February 2020, various duties (data masked)
14. February 2020 – present, Commander, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2007 - October 2009, USAF Requirements Officer, F-35 Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va. as a
lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,000 hours
Aircraft flown: F-35A, F-16 A/C/CM, C-12, SGS-2-33, T-38, T-37 and 35 other aircraft
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 7, 1993
First Lieutenant December 2, 1995
Captain December 2, 1997
Major March 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2009
Colonel May 1, 2015
Brigadier General December 2, 2020
(Current as of December 2020)