General Eugene Emil Habiger (USAF, RET.)

General Eugene E. Habiger, USAF (Ret.), age 82, passed away on Friday, March 18, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. He was born June 11, 1939, in Oakland, California to Lucille Allen Habiger and Emil Carl Habiger. General Habiger had more than 45 years of public service and policy development experience, with deep expertise in national security and nuclear operations. In his final Air Force assignment as the commander in chief of United States Strategic Command, he was responsible for all U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy strategic nuclear forces supporting the national security strategy of strategic deterrence. In this position, he established an unprecedented military-to-military relationship with his Russian counterparts, which resulted in extraordinary confidence building and openness. This initiative was the centerpiece of a 60 Minutes II segment in February 2000 and a CNN special in October 2000.

Gene grew up in Oakland, California, and attended Oakland Tech High School, where he was a tennis star and was elected class president. He began college at UC Berkeley, but realizing he was not meeting his full academic potential, he decided to embark on a military career.In March of 1959, General Habiger began his decorated career by enlisting in the U.S. Army Infantry where he served on active duty until 1961. While in the Army, Gene met his beloved wife Barbara on a blind date, and immediately decided to continue his education at the University of Georgia where she was a student. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree at UGA and later graduated from Officer Training School at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas as a 2nd Lieutenant. Over the course of his Air Force career Eugene flew numerous missions in B-52s, KC-135s, KC-10s, C-7A, and T-39s, as a command pilot with more than 5,000 flight hours including 150 combat missions. From aircraft commander, flight instructor to squadron operations officer and squadron commander, his primary love was working with, leading, and serving the men and women in operational units. While serving as the Squadron Commander at the 325th Bombardment Squadron at Fairchild AFB, WA, he orchestrated an emergency evacuation of the entire squadron of B-52 aircraft in less than three hours in the wake of the Mt. St. Helens volcanic eruption in 1980. In 1982, he graduated from the National War College and then embarked on a series of command positions at the wing level at Minot AFB, North Dakota, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, and Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Eugene was promoted to Brigadier General in January 1987 and became the Inspector General of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. From 1988-1991 he served in several key positions at the Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. During this period, he was a central architect and advisor of the Base Realignment and Closure effort.

He first came to San Antonio in 1991 as a Major General, serving as Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, before returning to the Pentagon to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel where he was promoted to Lieutenant General. Eugene was promoted to General in March 1996 upon his assumption of command of the U.S. Strategic Command. After his military retirement, Eugene continued his public service. He worked as the Department of Energy’s Director of Security and Emergency Operations. As the Department’s “security czar,” he was charged with changing the security culture at the Department of Energy and establishing a program to re-energize and restore confidence in the Department’s security program. He then served as the president/CEO of the San Antonio Water System, where he was responsible for the general operations of the System, along with the strategic long-range business and water resources planning for the ninth largest city in the United States. In 2001, Ted Turner and former Senator Sam Nunn asked Gene to help found and sit on the board of directors of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization which works to prevent catastrophic attacks and accidents with weapons of mass destruction. He served on the board of directors for 17 years and remained a board member emeritus until his passing.General Habiger was a distinguished fellow and policy adviser with the University of Georgia’s Center for International Trade and Security, where he assisted with the Center’s international programs aimed at preventing weapons proliferation and reducing nuclear dangers. He was an active member of “Elbe Group,” a consortium organized by Harvard University’s Kennedy School. This group is a cadre of senior retired military and intelligence flag officers in the United States and Russia, all with strong connections back into their governments, that works to maintain an open and continuous channel of communication on sensitive issues of US-Russian relations. As one of the original members of this group, ene attended several joint meetings with his Russian counterparts as part of this group in venues from Morocco to Iceland.He also served as the chairman of the board of the Armed Services YMCA, served on the Fisher House Foundation of San Antonio and was a senior fellow with the Gorbachev Foundation.Having gathered so much experience over the years, he was generous in sharing wisdom and insight with colleagues, friends, neighbors and family members. He was a coach and mentor to many, inspiring those who came in contact with him to be better. Friends and colleagues loved to hear his “war” stories, and the lessons they illustrated. Sometimes he provided detailed counsel for people; for others, he would just say “don’t screw up.” But his advice was inspiring, sound, resonant, and effective.Procrastination was not a word in his dictionary. If he saw a problem, he worked closely to do whatever he could to fix it.He was a loving, caring, and compassionate father and grandfather displaying a laser focus on creating lasting memories for his children and grandchildren. After his retirement from active duty, he relished the epoch visits of his two sons and their families, creating detailed itineraries for their visits, down to every meal and the timing of family football games. He ensured that the broader Habiger clan knew every famous San Antonio restaurant, tradition, or tourist attraction intimately. He famously would let everyone know the “step-off” time to be sure the family had time to experience everything.Above all else, he was a loving and devoted husband and friend to his wife of 60 years, Barbara. Together, they navigated 23 household moves all over the United States, towing two sons, a total of 7 dogs, and, for a while, a very grumpy cat to just about every B-52 base in the nation. Together they dealt with the loss of colleagues, natural disasters, and long separations. They traveled all over the world, both in their official capacities as representatives of the Air Force but also on their own. They dined with Senators, Presidents, and foreign military leaders and dignitaries. Through it all they had an inseparable bond and Gene’s love for and devotion for Barabra was unmatched. He was preceded in death by his parents. Gen. Habiger is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara Habiger; sons, Karl Habiger and wife Annemarie and Kurt Habiger; grandchildren, Conor, Julia, Caroline, Kurt II, and Kory; sister, Carol Habiger; as well as numerous extended family members and a lifetime of friends and fellow servicemen and women.

MEMORIAL SERVICESATURDAY, MAY 14, 202211:00 AMST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH1416 N LOOP 1604 ESAN ANTONIO, TX 78232LUNCHEON TO FOLLOW

Burial at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.