BRIGADIER GENERAL MICHAEL F. PLANERT

Brig. Gen. Michael F. Planert is Military Executive and Director for Military Support and Operations, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, Md. The NGA is a combat support agency jointly chartered by the Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence. It provides geospatial intelligence support to U.S. and allied military forces, other government activities, and the civil sector in support of national security objectives. General Planert is responsible for providing executive leadership for NGA's military operations and support to the services and unified commands as well as managing NGA's active and reserve military personnel.

General Planert received his commission through the Air Force ROTC program in 1976. He entered active duty in 1977. During his Air Force career, General Planert has commanded a flying training squadron, special operations group and a flying wing. During NATO's Bosnian operations, he commanded a special operations task force in Italy which provided rescue and special operations support. Additionally, he led the air portion of a non-combatant evacuation operation in Africa. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 6, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Eskisehir, Turkey. 

General Planert is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flying hours in a variety of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

EDUCATION
1976 Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1980 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1984 Master's degree in management, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1986 Maintenance Officers Course, Chanute AFB, Ill.
1994 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 NATO Senior Officer's Policy Course, Oberammergau, Germany
2005 Senior Executive Seminar, the Marshall Center, Garmisch, Germany

ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1977 - October 1977, student, undergraduate pilot training, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. October 1977 - June 1980, rescue helicopter co-pilot and aircraft commander, 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Royal Air Force Woodbridge, England
3. June 1980 - July 1983, instructor pilot and flight examiner, 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. July 1983 - November 1986, operational programming officer, Plans Directorate, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
5. November 1986 - October 1987, Volant Wrench officer, Chief of Quality Assurance and HH-53C aircraft commander, 41st Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McClellan AFB, Calif.
6. October 1987 - July 1991, Chief, Wing Current Operations Division and HH-53 instructor pilot, 542nd Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. July 1991 - July 1993, Commander, 551st Flying Training Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. August 1993 - June 1994, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. June 1994 - May 1996, Deputy Director of Operations, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
10. May 1996 - May 1998, Commander, 352nd Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, England
11. May 1998 - July 1999, Chief, Program Integration Division, Directorate of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
12. July 1999 - May 2001, Commander, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13. May 2001 - July 2002, Deputy Director of Operations and Training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2002 - April 2004, Deputy Director for Operations, Operations Directorate, National Military Command Center, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
15. April 2004 - November 2005, Deputy Commander, Combined Air Operations Center 6, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Eskisehir, Turkey
16. November 2005 - present, Military Executive and Director for Military Support and Operations, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, Md.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,800
Aircraft flown: MH-53, HH-53C, UH-1H, UH-1N, HH-3E, MH-60, MC-130H, MC-130P, C-12 and TH-55

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
NATO Medal (Former Republic of Yugoslavia)

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1977 Distinguished graduate, undergraduate pilot training
2004 American Legion Buckeye Boys State Hall of Fame

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 23, 1976
First Lieutenant Oct. 23, 1978
Captain Oct. 23, 1980
Major March 1, 1987
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1991
Colonel Nov. 1, 1997
Brigadier General March 1, 2003


(Current as of October 2006)