Brig. Gen. Christopher S. Sage is Head, Joint Air Power and Space Staff Element, serving as the single point of contact for all Joint Air Power and Space issues across the International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters. In this capacity, he provides strategic and operational analysis and advice for all Joint Air Power and Space concepts, plans, policies and future capabilities.
Brig. Gen. Sage was commissioned in 1994 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He commanded the 389th Fighter Squadron, the 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, the 366th Operations Group and the 4th Fighter Wing. The general’s assignments are a mix of joint, operational, and training tours, culminating in more than 4,600 flight hours. As an operational F-15E fighter pilot, he has over 1,200 combat hours and participated in operations Northern Watch, Deliberate Forge, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. He also served as a Naval Flight Instructor while stationed aboard Naval Air Station Whiting Field.
Brig. Gen. Sage’s previous staff tours include serving as the Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe/U.S. European Command Commander at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Social Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2000 Master of Business Administration, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
2000 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Distinguished Graduate, College of Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2008 Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (SAASS Equivalent), Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2012 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2014 National Defense Fellow, Harvard University, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Cambridge, Mass.
2016 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2018 Global Africa Seminar, Area Studies Seminars, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1994–December 1995, Student, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. May 1996–December 1996, F-15E Student Pilot, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
3. January 1996–March 2000, F-15E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Mission Planning, 492nd Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
4. April 2000–December 2003, T-34C Naval Flight Instructor, Flight Commander and Chief, Standardization/Evaluation and Training, VT-3, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla.
5. April 2004–July 2007, F-15E Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, Assistant Director of Operations, 336th Fighter Squadron; Chief, Wing Exercises and Inspections, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
6. January 2005–July 2007, Presidential Advance Agent, CVAM, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. August 2007–September 2008, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff; and Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (SAASS equivalent), Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
8. August 2008–January 2009, Chief, Joint Studies and Analysis Branch, Strategy and Integration Division, A8XS, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. February 2009–March 2010, Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. June 2010–January 2011, Director of Operations, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
11. January 2011–March 2012, Commander, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
12. March 2012–June 2013, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
13. July 2013–July 2014, National Defense Fellow, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
14. July 2014–June 2016, Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
15. June 2016–July 2018, Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
16. July 2018–May 2019, Senior Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium
17. May 2019–April 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, U.S. European Command and SACEUR, SHAPE, Belgium
18. May 2020–July 2021, Deputy U.S. Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Brussels, Belgium
19. July 2021–July 2022, Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
20. July 2022–present, Head, Joint Air Power and Space Staff Element, International Military Staff, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014–June 2016, Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel
2. July 2018–May 2019, Senior Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. European Command and SACEUR, SHAPE, Belgium, as a colonel
3. May 2019–April 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, U.S. European Command and SACEUR, SHAPE, Belgium, as a colonel
4. May 2020–July 2021, Deputy U.S. Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Brussels, Belgium, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,600 including more than 1,200 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, T-34C and F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one “C” device, two silver and three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Naval and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with three service stars
Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars
NATO Medal with service star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major Sept. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2008
Colonel July 1, 2012
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2020
(Current as of June 2023)