Major General John L. Borling is the chief of staff, Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe, Stavanger, Norway. As the principal architect for this new tri-service and integrated North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Norwegian National Command, he is responsible for assets in excess of $500 million and 600 people. He also serves as the senior United States military officer in Scandinavia and NATO's Northwest Region.
Born in Chicago, General Borling studied at the University of Illinois and Augustana College prior to graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1963. He received his pilot wings in August 1964, then completed F-4 fighter training. In 1966, after 97 combat missions in Southeast Asia, he was shot down by ground fire northeast of Hanoi, North Vietnam. Seriously injured, he was captured and spent 6 1/2 years as a prisoner of war. He returned to the United States and resumed his military career to include command of fighter, bomber, tanker, missile and support units at squadron, group and division level. He is a command pilot and has flown many different aircraft. High level staff experience includes the White House, the Pentagon, Strategic Air Command as director of operations for the conflicts in Panama and Iraq, and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).