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| General Craig McKinley | |
|---|---|
| Name | Craig McKinley |
| Birth date | August 6, 1952 |
| Birth place | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Death date | June 28, 2016 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau |
| Serviceyears | 1975–2012 |
General Craig McKinley was a United States Air Force general who served as the tenth Chief of the National Guard Bureau and the first to achieve four-star rank while leading the National Guard. He oversaw modernization and integration initiatives linking the Air National Guard with federal and state partners including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and multiple state adjutants general. McKinley's tenure intersected with major events and institutions such as the Global War on Terror, Hurricane Katrina response, and interagency coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
McKinley was born in Jacksonville, Florida and attended public schools before earning a Bachelor of Science at the United States Air Force Academy where classmates included future leaders in the United States Air Force and Department of Defense. He later completed professional military education at institutions including the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, and executive programs at Harvard University and the National Defense University. His academic and professional development connected him to networks spanning the United States Senate staff offices, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and multiple service academies.
McKinley was commissioned into the United States Air Force in 1975 and flew the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and other transport platforms in assignments with units such as the 442d Tactical Airlift Wing and the 934th Tactical Airlift Group. His operational background included airlift missions supporting Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff assignments linked him to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Air Mobility Command, the U.S. Northern Command, and the U.S. Transportation Command. He served in roles involving acquisition and readiness alongside organizations such as the Defense Logistics Agency, Air Force Materiel Command, and the National Guard Bureau directorates. His awards included decorations associated with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, reflecting service with commands including the Ninth Air Force and the First Air Force.
As Director of the Air National Guard and later Chief of the National Guard Bureau, McKinley guided force structure changes, readiness programs, and joint exercises with entities like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United States Northern Command, and state-level partners such as the Texas Adjutant General's Office and the California National Guard. He championed equipment modernization involving platforms like the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotanker, and the C-130 Hercules, coordinating with acquisition bodies such as the Defense Acquisition Board and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. His tenure emphasized domestic response capability, interoperability with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security and state emergency management agencies during incidents comparable to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. He also negotiated policy matters with congressional committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.
After retirement, McKinley engaged with defense industry and nonprofit organizations, advising corporations and think tanks such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Atlantic Council, and defense firms interacting with the Defense Contract Management Agency and the Government Accountability Office. He provided testimony and briefings to entities including the Congressional Research Service and participated in public-private dialogues with stakeholders from the Department of Homeland Security, United States Northern Command, and state emergency management offices. His post-service efforts included advocacy for veterans’ services linking institutions like the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration, and national veterans’ organizations including the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
McKinley was part of civic and professional communities in regions such as Florida and Washington, D.C., maintaining relationships with academic organizations like the Air Command and Staff College Foundation and philanthropic groups supporting military families. His legacy is reflected in doctrine and policy debates involving the National Defense Authorization Act, the evolution of the National Guard Bureau, and adaptations of homeland defense roles within the Department of Defense. Posthumous recognition and remembrances came from senior leaders across the United States Air Force, the National Guard Bureau, members of the United States Congress, and state governors, and his career continues to be cited in analyses by institutions such as the RAND Corporation and the Brookings Institution.
Category:United States Air Force generals Category:Air National Guard