Brig. Gen. Christopher R. Amrhein is the Commander, Air Force Recruiting Service, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The Air Force Recruiting Service comprises more than 2,800 Airmen and civilians and approximately 1,040 recruiting offices across the U.S. and abroad. He is responsible for all enlisted accessions and a variety of officer accession programs. AFRS accesses more than 45,000 individuals each year for service in the Air Force active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve as well as the Space Force. AFRS also manages all strategic marketing for the U.S. Air Force.
Brig. Gen. Amrhein entered the Air Force in 1996 after earning his commission as a distinguished graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at The University of Texas at Austin. He has served in operational and training assignments logging more than 3,200 hours in a variety of aircraft as well as commanding at the squadron and wing levels.
Operationally, he has served in five geographic combatant command regions including contingency operations Allied Force, Joint Guardian, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Juniper Micron, Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support.
Brig. Gen. Amrhein has served in multiple staff assignments at the joint, Headquarters Air Force, and major command levels. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Amrhein served as the Nineteenth Air Force Vice Commander.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, The University of Texas, Austin
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Weapons Instructor Course, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Military Arts and Sciences, Air University, Ala.
2013 Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
2013 Master of Strategic Studies and Operational Art, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1996–September 1997, Student Pilot, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1997–February 1998, Student, KC-135R Combat Crew Training School, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
3. February 1998–February 2001, KC-135R/T Pilot 98th Air Refueling Squadron, then Aircraft Commander and Chief of Scheduling, 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
4. March 2001–July 2004, T-37B and T-6A Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander and Chief Flight Examiner, 84th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
5. July 2004–June 2006, Weapons Officer and Assistant Operations Officer 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
6. June 2006–June 2007, Wing Executive Officer, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
7. July 2007–May 2008, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2008–June 2009, C-17 Program Element Monitor, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2009–July 2010, Chief, Mobility, Combat Search and Rescue and Special Operations Forces Programs, Office of Legislative Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. August 2010–June 2011, Commander, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, U.S. Air Forces Central Command Area of Responsibility
11. July 2011–June 2012, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. July 2012–June 2013, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
13. June 2013–May 2015, Chief of Plans Branch then Deputy Division Chief, East Operations, Joint Staff Operations (J3), U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. May 2015–June 2017, Vice Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan
15. July 2017–May 2019, Commander, 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
16. June 2019–May 2020, Deputy, Deputy Chief of Staff – Support and Director CJ4, Resolute Support Mission, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. May 2020–August 2021, Inspector General, AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. August 2021–May 2023, Vice Commander, Nineteenth Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio–Randolph, Texas
19. May 2023–June 2023, Commander, Nineteenth Air Force, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
20. June 2023–present, Commander, Air Force Recruiting Service, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2013–May 2015, Chief of Plans Branch then Deputy Division Chief, East Operations, Joint Staff Operations (J3), U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2019–May 2020, Deputy, Deputy Chief of Staff - Support and Director CJ4, Resolute Support Mission, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200
Aircraft flown: KC-135R/T, T-6A, T-37B, E-3, MC-130H, MC-130J, F-15D, T-1A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of July 2023)