Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson is Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. She directs a four-year regimen of military training, academics, athletic and character development programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant.
A distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1981, General Johnson completed graduate studies as a Rhodes Scholar before earning her pilot wings in 1984. She has served in various assignments in air mobility, airlift and tanker flying operations and training, academic instruction and personnel. She has commanded the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, the 97th Operations Group and the 22nd Air Refueling Wing. The general commanded a deployed air refueling squadron in Operation Southern Watch and an air refueling wing in support of operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. She has served as the Air Force aide to the President, an Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Associate Air Officer Commanding at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She was also the Director of Personnel for Air Mobility Command and Director of Air Force Public Affairs. General Johnson served as the Deputy Director for Information and Cyberspace Policy on the Joint Staff and as the Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Prior to assuming her current position, she was the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Casteau, Belgium. General Johnson is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in C-141, T-41, KC-10, C-17, C-5 and KC-135 aircraft.
EDUCATION
1981 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in operations research, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1983 Rhodes Scholar, Master of Arts degree in politics and economics, Brasenose College, Oxford University, England
1987 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1991 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
1999 Master of Science degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2002 National Security Management Fellow, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2005 Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2007 Fellow, Seminar XXI - Foreign Politics, International Relations and the National Interest, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
2011 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 The Harvard Seminar for New Presidents, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1981 - May 1983, graduate student, Brasenose College, Oxford University, England
2. May 1983 - July 1984, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
3. July 1984 - October 1984, C-141 initial qualification training, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. October 1984 - July 1989, C-141 instructor aircraft commander, wing plans officer, command post duty officer and squadron executive officer, 41st Military Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. July 1989 - May 1992, Assistant Professor of Political Science, T-41 instructor pilot and Associate Air Officer Commanding, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
6. May 1992 - June 1994, Air Force aide to the President, The White House, Washington, D.C.
7. June 1994 - July 1998, KC-10 instructor pilot, flight commander, operations officer and Commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. July 1998 - June 1999, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
9. June 1999 - March 2000, Deputy Commander, 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Okla.
10. March 2000 - March 2002, Commander, 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Okla.
11. March 2002 - June 2002, National Security Management Fellow, Syracuse University, N.Y.
12. June 2002 - June 2004, Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
13. June 2004 - November 2005, Director of Personnel, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. November 2005 - March 2007, Director of Public Affairs and Deputy Director of Communications, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. March 2007 - November 2007, Director of Public Affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. December 2007 - June 2009, Deputy Director for Information and Cyberspace Policy, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2009 - July 2011, Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. July 2011 - July 2013, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Casteau, Belgium.
19. August 2013 - present, Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1992 - June 1994, Air Force aide to the President, The White House, Washington, D.C., as a major
2. December 2007 - June 2009, Deputy Director for Information and Cyberspace Policy, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a brigadier general
3. July 2009 - July 2011, Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a brigadier general and major general
4. July 2011 - July 2013, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Casteau, Belgium , as major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,600
Aircraft flown: C-141B, T-41C, KC-10A, KC-135R, C-5A, C-17A, T-37 and T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1981
First Lieutenant May 27, 1983
Captain May 27, 1985
Major Oct. 1, 1991
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 1995
Colonel May 1, 1999
Brigadier General Jan. 2, 2007
Major General July 16, 2010
Lieutenant General Aug. 12, 2013
(Current as of October 2017)