Major General MICHAEL A. FANTINI

Maj. Gen. Michael A. Fantini is the Director, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, he leads advanced efforts for design, integration and capability development across the Total Force for multi-domain concepts. AFWIC identifies prioritized ways and means to guide resourcing priorities improving Air Force lethality and enhancing the joint and coalition fight.

General Fantini graduated from Catholic University of America and was commissioned through the ROTC program at Howard University. Following graduation, he served in a variety of operational assignments as an F-16 pilot, instructor pilot and weapons officer. He has commanded a fighter squadron, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group in Balad, Iraq, the 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas, and the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, Kandahar, Afghanistan. He has served in multiple staff positions, including Chief of the Fighter Weapons Branch, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Programs; Operations Officer and Deputy Division Chief of Global Force Management at the Joint Operations Directorate; Director, Combat Force Application and Operational Capabilities Requirements.

In his previous assignment, General Fantini was Commander, Kandahar Airfield (NATO), Kandahar, Afghanistan. As COMKAF, he was responsible for the operational efficiency and readiness of Kandahar Airfield. He acted as Senior Airfield Authority and a task force commander-equivalent in defense of the airfield exercising centralized coordination of airfield operations, logistics, NATO assets and real estate management while leading all force protection actions in defense of nearly 22,000 assigned and attached personnel.

General Fantini is a command pilot with more than 3,200 hours in the MQ-9, F-16, T-37 and T-38.

EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1996 Master's degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1998 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2000 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.
2005 Master's degree in national security studies, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
2013 Combined / Joint Special Operations Component Commanders Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2015 Capstone, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2016 Joint Force Air Component Command Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Advanced Senior Leader Development Program, Warrenton, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1987 - November 1988, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. November 1988 - July 1989, F-16 Student Pilot, 72nd Tactical Training Fighter Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
3. July 1989 - May 1992, F-16 Pilot, Instructor Pilot, 68th Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. May 1992 - July 1993, Flight Commander, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
5. July 1993 - January 1994, Student, Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. January 1994 - November 1996, Weapons Officer, Assist Ops Officer, Hill AFB, Utah
7. November 1996 - May 1999, Flight Commander, Assist Ops Officer, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. May 1999 - July 2000, Chief, Fighter Weapons Branch, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Programs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. July 2000 - August 2001, Student, Marine Corps Staff College, Quantico, Va.
10. August 2001 - April 2002, Chief of Safety, Aviano AB, Italy
11. April 2002 - July 2002, Ops Officer, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
12. July 2002 - July 2004, Commander, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
13. July 2004 - June 2005, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
14. June 2005 - January 2006, Ops Officer, Joint Operations Division-CENTCOM, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. January 2006 - May 2007, Ops Officer and Deputy Division Chief, Global Force Management, Joint Operations Directorate, J-3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. May 2007 - June 2008, Chief C4 Capabilities Division, Directorate of Operational Capabilities Requirements, Joint Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2008 - June 2009, Commander 332d Expeditionary Operations Group, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
18. June 2009- May 2011 - Chief, Combat Force Application, Directorate of Operational Capabilities Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
19. May 2011- April 2012 Director, Combat Force Application, Directorate of Operational Capabilities Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
20. April 2012 - September 2013, Commander, 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas
21. November 2013 - January 2014, Commander, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, Kandahar, Afghanistan and Commander Kandahar Airfield (NATO), Kandahar, Afghanistan
22. January 2014 - January 2015, Commander, Kandahar Airfield (NATO), Kandahar, Afghanistan
23. January 2015 - May 2017, Principal Director for Middle East Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
24. May 2017 – December 2018, Director, Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
25. December 2018 - present, Director, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2005 - January 2006, Ops Officer, Joint Operations Division-CENTCOM, J-3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2. January 2006 - May 2007, Ops Officer and Deputy Division Chief, Global Force Management, Joint Operations Directorate, J-3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
3. January 2014 - January 2015, Commander, Kandahar Airfield (NATO), Kandahar, Afghanistan
4. January 2015 - present, Principal Director for Middle East Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16, MQ-9

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with silver and bronze leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and bronze leaf clusters
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Non-Article Five Medal (ISAF)
General Emblem of Honor (Romania)
Commemorative Medal for Military Operations (Slovak Republic)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 24, 1986
First Lieutenant Sept. 24, 1988
Captain Sept. 24, 1990
Major June 1, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel Mar. 1, 2002
Colonel July 1, 2007
Brigadier General April 2, 2013
Major General November 3, 2016


(Current as of February 2019)