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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      090901-F-JZ029-629.JPGEngage On
        
        090901-F-JZ029-629.JPGBRIGADIER GENERAL MICHAEL W. CALLANBrig. Gen. Michael W. Callan is the Vice Commander, 17th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The command serves as the Air Component to U.S Africa Command and has responsibility for all Air Force activities in the Africa theater spanning 53 countries, 11 million square miles and more than 900 million people. 
General Callan entered the Air Force in 1981 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate. He is a command pilot with more than 4,400 flying hours. The general has previously commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, including the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base, Okla.  In addition, he held a number of flying and staff positions to include instructor and flight examiner pilot, U.S. Special Operations Command action officer, and senior military assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Commander, 23rd Air Force, and the Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.**EDUCATION**
1981 Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, Slippery Rock State College, Pa. 
1987 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
1987 Master's degree in general administration, University of Maryland 
1994 Air Command and Staff College, honor graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
1995 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 
1996 Air War College, by correspondence 
2000 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. **ASSIGNMENTS**
1. August 1981 - August 1982, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss. 
2. September 1982 - February 1983, C-130E and HC-130H/N/P qualification training, Little Rock AFB, Ark., and Kirtland AFB, N.M. 
3. March 1983 - March 1987, HC-130H/N/P co-pilot and aircraft commander, 67th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Royal Air Force Woodbridge, England 
4. March 1987 - July 1987, student, Squadron Officer School, and C-130E instructor qualification, Maxwell AFB, Ala, and Little Rock AFB, Ark. 
5. July 1987 - July 1991, HC-130H/N/P instructor and flight examiner pilot; Chief of Fixed-wing Standardization and Evaluation, 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 
6. July 1991 - July 1993, Chief of European Exercises, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
7. July 1993 - June 1994, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
8. June 1994 - May 1996, policy officer, Strategy, Policy and Doctrine Directorate, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. 
9. May 1996 - June 1998, operations officer and MC-130P aircraft commander, 352nd Operational Support Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England 
10. June 1998 - July 1999, Commander, 67th Special Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England 
11. July 1999 - May 2000, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 
12. May 2000 - May 2002, senior military assistant, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
13. May 2002 - August 2003, Commander, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 
14. August 2003 - February 2005, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla. 
15. February 2005 - April 2006, Assistant Deputy Director for Special Operations, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
16. April 2006 - January 2007, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Forces, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
17. January 2007 - January 2008, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Forces, and the Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
18. January 2008 - July 2008, Commander, 23rd Air Force, and the Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
19. August 2008 - September 2008, Vice Commander, Detachment 5, U.S. Air Forces Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
20. October 2008 - present, Vice Commander, 17th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. June 1994 - May 1996, policy officer, Strategy, Policy and Doctrine Directorate, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major 
2. May 2000 - May 2002, senior military assistant, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel 
3. February 2005 - April 2006, Assistant Deputy Director for Special Operations, Operations Directorate (J3), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel **FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating: Command pilot 
Flight hours: More than 4,400 
Aircraft flown: T-37A/B, T-38A/C, C-130E, C-130J, HC-130P/H/N, MC-130P/N, MC-130H, MH-53J, HH-60G, UH-1, C-21A, T-1A and T34C **MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal 
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters 
Aerial Achievement Medal 
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster 
Army Achievement Medal 
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star 
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars 
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze star 
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia) **EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant May 23, 1981 
First Lieutenant Sept. 12, 1983 
Captain Sept. 12, 1985 
Major May 1, 1993 
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1997 
Colonel April 1, 2001 
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2007 
(Current as of October 2011)
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