Guest Speaker, Bruce Carlson to Address the Congregation at Freedom Devotional Concert
The Hurst Texas Stake is pleased to introduce guest speaker, Bruce Carlson, who will address the congregation during a Freedom Devotional Concert in celebration of the blessings of freedom through music and the spoken word. Sunday, July 10th at 7:00 p.m. at the Hurst Stake Center (map.)
Bruce Carlson: Emeritus General Authority Seventy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints • General, United States Air Force, Retired
Retired Air Force General Bruce Carlson began his 38-year military career as a commissioned officer in 1971, after graduating with distinction from the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Minnesota, Duluth with a degree in Accounting & Business Administration. He entered the US Air Force as an ROTC distinguished graduate, attended Flight School, then flew fighter and forward air control aircraft, serving a combat tour in Southeast Asia.
He served as a command pilot with more than 3,900 flying hours in ten different aircraft and commanded the Air Force’s first stealth fighter wing, the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, NM. Carlson also served in the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of Defense and as the Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J-8) on the Joint Staff.
Bruce also served as principal military assistant to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He was responsible for coordination of critical national security matters with the Joint Staff, Secretary of Defense and White House Staff.
Prior to his retirement in 2009 as Commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, General Bruce Carlson was responsible for all US Air Force science & technology research efforts, Air Force acquisition personnel, Air Force flight developmental testing and worldwide sustainment of all Air Force aircraft, communications, computer and weapons systems, including supply chain management and contractor support.
Following retirement, he was appointed the 17th Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO), where he served for three years. As DNRO, he provided direction and leadership on the development, construction, launch, and operation of the United States’ spy satellite constellation.
Bruce was sustained to the Second Quorum of Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 2009 and granted Emeritus status in October 2015. During his final three years in service, Elder Carlson served on the Middle East and Africa North Desk, where he assisted in directing the Church’s activities in the Middle East and North Africa.
He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Lockheed Martin; as chairman of the Space Dynamics Laboratory Guidance Council; as chairman of Utah State’s Space Dynamics Laboratory Board of Directors, and as a member of the Draper Laboratory Corporation. Carlson also serves on the Church’s Military Advisory Committee. He and his wife, Vicki are currently serving as the Service Mission Leaders in the Texas Fort Worth Mission.
Among Bruce Carlson’s military awards and decorations are the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force ROTC Distinguished Alumni Award, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Award, the DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the James V. Hartinger Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Military Space, and the Order of the Sword, Air Force Materiel Command.
Bruce and his wife of 52 years, Vicki, have three children and fourteen grandchildren.
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For more details, including how to join the choir or special musical number, visit the following link.