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Michael E. Conley
Brig Gen Michael E. Conley
Birth name Michael Edward Conley[1]
Place of birth Geneva, New York
Allegiance Flag of the United States United States
Service/branch Flag of the United States Air Force United States Air Force
Years of service 1996–present (28 years)
Rank US Air Force O7 shoulderboard rotated Brigadier General
Commands held 1st Special Operations Wing
58th Operations Support Squadron
Awards Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (3)
Air Medal (6)
Aerial Achievement Medal (7)
Air Force Commendation Medal (3)
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal

Michael Edward Conley is a brigadier general in the United States Air Force currently serving as the deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command of the United States Space Command and vice commander of the Space Operations Command.[2][3] Prior to being assigned at his current position, he was commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force.[4]

Conley was born and raised in Geneva, New York. He was commissioned to the U.S. Air Force in May 1996 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy.[4] He also completed pilot training in 1998, and since then, has flown the UH-1N and MH-53 helicopters, and the CV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft. Also during his Air Force career, Conley served as special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 2005, he was named Air Force Special Operations Pilot of the Year. Conely holds three master's degrees, including a degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.[3]

Education[]

Cadet Michael E

Conley in the United States Air Force Academy

1996 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2000 Squadron Officer's School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 M.S. in management, University of Maryland, University College, Md.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 M.A. in communication, George Mason University, Va. (AF Intern Program)
2010 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, R.I.
2017 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, N.C.

Assignments[]

1. 1997–1997, Student Pilot, T-37, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. 1997–1998, Student Pilot, UN-1H, Ft. Rucker, Ala.
3. 1998–2001, UH-1N IP/Executive Officer, 1st Helicopter Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
4. 2001–2002, Student Pilot, MH-53J, 551 SOS, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. 2002–2004, MH-53J/M Instructor Pilot, 20 SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. 2004–2006, MH-53M Evaluator Pilot/Flight Commander, 21st SOS, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
7. 2006–2007, Assistant Operations Officer, 352 OSS, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
8. 2007–2008, AF Intern Program-Strategic Communication, George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
9. 2008–2009, Chief, Operations Team, SAF/PA, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
10. 2009–2011, Chief, Wing Safety/CV-22 Pilot, 1 SOW, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. 2011–2013, Commander, 58 OSS, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12. 2013–2014, Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
13. 2014–2015, Branch Chief, Joint Staff, J-7, Joint Lessons Learned Division, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. 2015–2016, Deputy Director, CAG/Special Assistant to the CJCS, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. 2016–2018, Vice Commander, 27 SOW, Cannon AFB, N.M.
16. 2018–2020, Commander, 1 SOW, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
17. 2020–present, Deputy Combined Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Awards and decorations[]

  • Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
  • Bronze Star
  • Defense Meritorious Service Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
  • Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
  • Aerial Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
  • Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
  • Air Force Achievement Medal
  • Air Force Combat Action Medal
  • Humanitarian Service Medal
  • 2005 Air Force Special Operations Command Pilot of the Year

Effective dates of promotion[]

Conley was nominated for the rank of Brigadier General on January 9, 2020, and was sworn in June 2020.[4][5]

Rank Date
US Air Force O1 shoulderboard rotated Second lieutenant May 1996
US Air Force O2 shoulderboard rotated First lieutenant May 1998
US Air Force O3 shoulderboard rotated Captain May 2000
US Air Force O4 shoulderboard rotated Major May 2006
US Air Force O5 shoulderboard rotated Lieutenant colonel March 2010
US Air Force O6 shoulderboard rotated Colonel April 2016
US Air Force O7 shoulderboard rotated Brigadier general June 2020

References[]

PD-icon This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

Military offices
Preceded by
Tom Palenske
Commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing
2018–2020
Succeeded by
Jocelyn J. Schermerhorn
Preceded by
Matthew Wolfe Davidson
Vice Commander of the Space Operations Command and Deputy Commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command
2020–present
Incumbent
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