19th AF commander to visit Laughlin Published Jan. 19, 2011 By 2nd Lt. Patrick O'Neill 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Major Gen. Mark Solo, the new 19th Air Force commander, will be visiting Laughlin Feb. 2 and 3. During his visit, General Solo will tour base facilities to familiarize himself with Laughlin's mission, support functions, and members. The 19th Air Force, located at Randolph Air Force Base, is responsible for managing Air Education and Training Command's flying training programs. It is responsible for instructing more than 19,000 students annually in Undergraduate Pilot Training, Pilot Instructor Training, Fighter Operations, Mobility Operations, Special Operations, Combat Systems Officer Training and Survival Training. The 19th Air Force employs 31,000 people conducting more than 580,000 hours annually at 21 different locations in order to accomplish its training mission. General Solo graduated from Michigan State University in 1978 as a distinguished graduate of the school's Reserve Officer Training Corps program and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas. He took command of the 19th Air Force in July of 2010 after completing a tour as commander of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Solo holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Social Sciences from Michigan State University and two Master's of Arts from Webster University in Management and International Relations. General Solo is a command pilot with more than 4,900 hours in the C-141, C-5, KC-135 and C-17. General Solo's full biography may be accessed at http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=7907.