page_title: Michele Pearce
section_title: Military background
hierarchical_section_title: Michele Pearce / Military background
caption_attribution_description: English: Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, along with Col Darryl Burke, Maj Michelle Pearce and Brig Gen "Punch" Moulton, stands for the national anthem during opening ceremonies for Air Power Day.
context_page_description: Michele A. Pearce is an American lawyer and government official. She has served as the Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Army since January 6, 2020. As PDGC, Pearce is the first assistant to the General Counsel and the number two attorney in the Department of the Army. Her duties include providing legal and policy advice to the Secretary of the Army, the Secretariat, and other Army senior leaders.
  On April 9, 2020, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Pearce to serve as the General Counsel of the Army. On May 4, 2020, her nomination was sent to the Senate. On August 4, 2020, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Armed Services Committee. During her confirmation hearing, Pearce testified regarding her commitment to implementing Project Inclusion focused on increasing diversity in the Army; the need for ethical implementation of artificial intelligence, employment of machine learning capabilities, and other emerging technologies; and the importance of safe and secure housing for military servicemembers and their families.
context_section_description: Pearce served on active duty in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1996 to 2009. 
  During her active duty service, Pearce served as an aide to the Secretary of the Air Force and as an assistant executive to The Judge Advocate General (TJAG). Pearce was also appointed by TJAG to serve as liaison officer to the Department of Defense Task Force Report on Care for Victims of Sexual Assault. She taught criminal law and trial practice as an adjunct faculty instructor at the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General's School and for the Task Force 134-Detention Operations course, responsible for training military attorneys for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in her career, Pearce's assignments included serving as Chief of Military Justice at Nellis Air Force Base, Area Defense Counsel at Cannon Air Force Base, and as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate at Mountain Home Air Force Base.
  Pearce's military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Recognition Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Pistol).
caption: Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne, with Col Darryl Burke, Maj Michele Pearce and Brig Gen "Punch" Moulton, at Osan Air Base.
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