Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air ForceMGen Craig La Fave official bio (Andy Morataya)
            Major General CRAIG L. LA FAVEMaj. Gen. Craig L. La Fave is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. AMC’s mission is to provide rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America's armed forces. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. The men and women of AMC, consisting of active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians, provide airlift, aerial refueling, special air mission, aeromedical evacuation and mobility support. As the Air Component for U.S. Transportation Command, AMC directs global air mobility operations in support of national objectives.
Maj. Gen. La Fave graduated from Lehigh University in 1986 and was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and subsequently served as a C-141B Special Operations Low Level II Evaluator Pilot. Since then, Maj. Gen. La Fave has commanded at the squadron, wing and numbered air force levels, served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and completed combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a command pilot with more than 14,000 flying hours, including more than 5,000 military flying hours and 320 combat flying hours in numerous overseas contingency operations. In his civilian job, he is an airline captain with a major U.S. carrier.**EDUCATION**
1986 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Distinguished Military Graduate, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2000 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2002 Reserve Officer Joint Military Operations Course, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2004 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education Course, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2006 Air War College, Outstanding Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Masters of Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
2011 COMAFFOR Senior Staff Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
2011 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2014 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2016 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2017 Advanced Senior Leader Development Program, Strategic Engagement Seminar, Warrenton, Va.**ASSIGNMENTS**
May 1987- April 1988, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Distinguished Graduate, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
September 1988 - November 1993, C-141B Special Operations Aircraft Commander, Evaluator Pilot, Flight Commander, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
November 1993 - October 1999, C-5A/B Aircraft Commander, 709th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
October 1999 - February 2003, Government Flight Representative, Defense Contract Management Agency, Boston
February 2003 - July 2005, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Military Personnel Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
July 2005 - August 2007, Chief, C-17 Program Integration Office, 512th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
August 2007 - December 2007, Air Force Operations Planner, C3 Air, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Camp Victory, Baghdad
January 2008 - January 2009, Chief Pilot, 326th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
January 2009 - September 2010, Commander, 326th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
10. October 2010 - October 2013, Vice Commander, 403rd Wing (Active Associate), Keesler AFB, Miss.
(June 2012- November 2012, Deputy Commander, 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force –
Afghanistan and Assistant Deputy Commander Air, U.S. Forces - Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan; November 2012 - April 2013 and July 2013 - September 2013, Commander, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.)
11. October 2013 - January 2015, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Second Air Force, Keesler AFB, Miss.
12. January 2015 - June 2015, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operational Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2015 - November 2016, Special Assistant to the Chief of Air Force Reserve and Military Deputy for Total Force Continuum, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. November 2016 - November 2017, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. November 2017 - July 2019, Commander, 22nd Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
16. August 2019 - present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
February 2003 - July 2005, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Military
Personnel Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
2. August 2007 - December 2007, Air Force Operations Planner, C3 Air, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Camp Victory, Baghdad, as a lieutenant colonel.**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000 military hours including 320 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-6, T-41, T-37, T-38, C-40C, C-141B, C-5A/B, C-17A, W/C-130H/J, B737, B757, B767 and B777**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Non-Article 5 NATO Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait**OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS**
1988 Top Stick Award, Undergraduate Pilot Training
1988 Academic Excellence Award, Undergraduate Pilot Training
2001 Individual Mobilization Augmentee of the Year, Defense Contract Management Agency
2002 Government Flight Representative of the Year, Defense Contract Management Agency
2004 Joint Forces Staff College Commandant’s Award**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant Oct. 25, 1986
First Lieutenant Oct. 25, 1988
Captain Oct. 25, 1990
Major Oct. 1, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 30, 2004
Colonel Aug. 7, 2010
Brigadier General Mar. 26, 2015
Major General June 1, 2017
(Current as of July 2019)Department of the Air Force Logo