Lieutenant General Allen Trio Paredes is a Filipino general who served as the incumbent Chief of the Air Force, replacing Lieutenant General Rozzano D. Briguez. Prior to his post, he served as the former commander of the Air Logistics Command and the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing.

Allen T. Paredes

Lieutenant General Allen T. Paredes in 2020
Born (1965-12-07) December 7, 1965 (age 58)
Philippines
AllegiancePhilippines Philippines
Service / branch Philippine Air Force
Years of service1988 - 2021
RankLieutenant general Lieutenant general
Service numberO-9850
UnitChief of the Air Force
Air Logistics Command
Chief of the Air Force Staff
250th Presidential Airlift Wing
Tactical Operations Group 10
20th Attack Squadron
410th Maintenance Wing
420th Supply Wing
Air Force Research & Development Center
Battles / warsIslamic insurgency in the Philippines
Communist rebellion in the Philippines
Battle of Marawi
Awards Legionnaire, Philippine Legion of Honor
Distinguished Service Star
Gold Cross Medal
Outstanding Achievement Medal
Bronze Cross Medal
Military Merit Medal
Alma materPhilippine Military Academy
National Defense College of the Philippines (MNSA)
Development Academy of the Philippines (MD & P) University of the Philippines Diliman (MPM)

Early life and education

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Paredes finished schooling at the Victoria School Foundation in Marikina in 1982 before attending the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1984 and graduated as a member of the PMA's "Maringal" Class of 1988. He attended various courses locally and abroad, such as courses in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College and earned his Masters in National Security Administration (MNSA) at the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), Class 48. where he finished as Class Valedictorian and Thesis Gold Medalist. He underwent military pilot training at the Philippine Air Force School in Basilio Fernando Air Base in Lipa, Batangas after graduating and completed the training course in 1990, where he received the McMicking Award for his piloting performance.[1]

Paredes also became a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University and was a Thesis Gold Medalist for his theses at Development Academy of the Philippines, where he earned his Master in Development & Security. He also earned his Master in Public Management at the University of the Philippines Diliman and completed the comptrollership course and Intelligence courses in the AFP.[1]

Military career

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Then-Colonel Paredes giving a welcoming remarks speech during the anniversary of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing

After graduating from the PMA in 1988 and finishing his military pilot training in 1990. He started his junior days as a lieutenant as a seasoned attack pilot in the 18th Attack Squadron under the 15th Strike Wing flying the McDonnell Douglas MD 520MG Defender light attack helicopters, conducting air support operations in Mindanao.[2] Paredes flew a total of 76 combat missions and afterwards received the Top Gun Award as an expert for Aerial Rocketry.[1] Since then, Paredes was primarily assigned on helicopters, logistics, research and development, maintenance, and safety missions and positions, where he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel, A-1; Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics, OA-4; and became commander of the Air Force Research & Development Center, the 410th Maintenance Wing and the 420th Supply Wing, both headquartered at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. Paredes also served as commander of the 20th Attack Squadron of the 15th Strike Wing, utilizing the McDonnell Douglas MD 520MG Defenders as the squadron's 11th commander.[3]

Paredes also served as the commander of the Tactical Operations Group 10, based in Cagayan de Oro. During his time as a colonel, he was also part of a special committee during the Death of Jesse Robredo in 2012, where he served as the Air Force representative during the investigation. Paredes also served as Deputy Wing Commander of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing and as the Director of Air Force Safety Office. He earned his first star and was promoted to brigadier general in 2016, as he commanded the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing, from February 2016 to July 2018, where he flew both President Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte.[4][5][6][7] Paredes also flew then-President Rodrigo Duterte to the ground zero of Marawi City during the Battle of Marawi.[1]

Paredes later earned his second star and was promoted to major general in 2018, as he served as the Chief of the Air Force Staff, the third highest post in the PAF from July to December 2018, and served as commander of the Air Logistics Command in December 2018 to January 2020, where he command all logistical units of the Air Force, and led the implementation of the Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants program and the Firepower and Munition Info Systems.[1] Paredes was appointed as the new Chief of the Air Force on January 16, 2020, and earned his third star as a lieutenant general in March 2020. As the PAF Chief, he vowed to be a "father figure" of the air force during his tenure, and formulated a new leadership command framework: "Take the Lead, Soar as One", guided by the values of "Diwa, Galing, and Malasakit” (Responsiveness, Excellence and Devotion), and laid out the InSTEP (Integrity, Service, Team, Excellence, and Professionalism) initiative.[8] [9] He also pushed for the PAF's modernization through the procurement of additional aircraft in the air force, such as 32 additional units of the Sikorsky S-70i helicopters, the TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK attack helicopters, the C-130J Super Hercules, and the KAI KT-1 Woongbi. He also led the overall air force operations and assistance despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. [10] [11] [12] [13] Paredes also enhanced the PAF's maintenance funds and facilities and led the PAF to assist 80 TIKAS projects, which was followed by the implementation of the Safety Management System, which replaced the 1960s-based Safety Program, and led the establishment of the Aviation Leadership and Excellence Nexus and Civilian Human Resource School. Paredes also commissioned a total of 33 new aircraft, and added 3,845 new air force personnel.[1]


Paredes retired from the military service on December 07, 2021, upon reaching the mandatory military retirement age of 56 and he was replaced by them-Major General Connor Anthony Canlas Sr.[14]

Awards in military service

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Left Side:

 
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
   
 
 
Badges Philippine Air Force Gold Wings Badge
1st row Commander, Philippine Legion of Honor
2nd row Legionnaire, Philippine Legion of Honor 1 Outstanding Achievement Medal Distinguished Service Stars with one bronze anahaw cluster
3rd row Gold Cross Medals with one bronze anahaw cluster Distinguished Aviation Cross 1 Meritorious Achievement Medal
4th row 1 Distinguished Service Medal 1 Chief of Staff of the AFP Commendation Medal 1 Gawad sa Kaunlaran
5th row Bronze Cross Medals with our bronze anahaw clusters Unknown Medal with one bronze anahaw cluster Silver Wing Medal with two bronze anahaw clusters
6th row Military Merit Medals with four spearhead devices Military Merit Medals with three bronze anahaws Unknown Medal
7th row 1 Sagisag ng Ulirang Kawal Military Civic Action Medals with three bronze anahaws Parangal sa Kapanalig ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas Medal with one bronze anahaw cluster
8th row Military Commendation Medals with two silver triangular devices Unknown Medal Long Service Medal with two campaign stars
9th row Anti-dissidence Campaign Medal with two campaign stars Luzon Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal with two campaign stars Visayas Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal
10th row Mindanao Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Operations Ribbon with one campaign star Unknown Medal

Right Side:

 
 
   
     
Badges Presidential Flight Crew Badge
Philippine Air Force Senior Pilot Badge
1st row Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Streamer Award
2nd row People Power I Unit Citation People Power II Unit Citation Martial Law Unit Citation

Badges and Other Awards:

Personal life

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He is the son of retired Brigadier General Raymundo Paredes and Mrs Emmanuela Paredes. He is married to Jewel L. Paredes, and they have one daughter.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "LTGEN ALLEN T PAREDES PAF".
  2. ^ "CGPAF FLEW WITH THE BULLDOGS DURING A SOLIDARITY PATROL MISSION OVER PH RISE". Pinoy Aviators on Facebook. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Philippine Air Force 15th Strike Wing Brings OV-10 Bronco and SF-260TP Warrior Back Into Service". MilitaryLeak. 25 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Air logistics commander is new Air Force chief". Rappler. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Duterte appoints new Air Force chief". ADAS 2022. 2020-01-15. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ^ "NEW WING COMMANDER OF 250TH PRESIDENTIAL AIRLIFT WING SETS IN". Philippine Air Force on Facebook. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. ^ "BREAKING NEWS: PAF UPDATES". Philippine Air Force on Facebook. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  8. ^ "New pilot-in-command takes over Air Force". cnn. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  9. ^ "New PAF chief willing to be father, friend to Air Force members". www.pna.gov.ph.
  10. ^ Mangosing, Frances (8 February 2021). "PH Air Force escalates social media campaign for public support for more choppers". INQUIRER.net.
  11. ^ "Philippine Air Force to receive first T129B attack helos in Q3 2021".
  12. ^ "PH Air Force seeks funding for 5 C-130J cargo planes". Inquirer. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Philippine Air Force selects its future advance trainer aircraft to replace SIAI Marchetti S.211 jet trainers". MaxDefense Philippines. 2 July 2021.
  14. ^ Mangosing, Frances (8 December 2021). "Canlas, new PAF chief, vows to heed 'flight plan' for PH defense". INQUIRER.net.