BRIGADIER GENERAL MICHAEL J. TASHJIAN

Brigadier General Michael J. Tashjian is deputy chief of staff, procurement, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

General Tashjian was born in 1925, in Binghamton, N.Y., and graduated from Central High School in 1944. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., in 1948, with a bachelor of science degree and commission in the U.S. Air Force. He received a master of science degree in industrial administration from the Air Force Institute of Technology, in March 1953, and a master's degree in business administration from The George Washington University, in 1970. He also is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and has completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

From August 1948 to August 1951, General Tashjian served in a variety of administrative assignments at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. He next attended the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. His initial assignment in the logistics field was in April 1953 in procurement of aircraft engines at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

General Tashjian had overseas tours of duty in Germany, Holland and England, from September 1953 - August 1958, where he served as chief of the Quality Control Division in The Hague Air Procurement Office and Chief of the Contracts Division in the London Air Logistics Office.

He returned to the United States in August 1958 and became a trainee with North American Aviation, Los Angeles, Calif., under the Education-with-Industry Program. A year later he was assigned as chief of the Richmond Air Procurement District in Virginia. From August 1961 to June 1965, General Tashjian was commander of the Air Force Contract Management Office in Miami, Fla. He next served as executive officer to the deputy director, Defense Supply Agency, Alexandria, Va.

General Tashjian graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in August 1970 and was assigned as Air Force plant representative at the Autonetics Division of North American Rockwell at Anaheim, Calif. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University School of Business Administration and, in August 1971, was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as deputy director of procurement policy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics.

He assumed duties as deputy to deputy assistant secretary of sefense (procurement) and director, procurement policy, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installations and Logistics), Washington, D.C., in July 1973.

General Tashjian became the deputy chief of staff, procurement, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., in September 1974.

His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general effective Oct. 1, 1973, with date of rank Sept. 19, 1973.

(Current as of February 2021)