Maj. Gen. Michael D. Rothstein is the Commander, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education and the Vice Commander of Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He provides full spectrum education, research and outreach at every level through professional military education, professional continuing education and academic degree granting. He leads the intellectual and leadership center of the U.S. Air Force, graduating more than 50,000 resident and 120,000 non-resident officers, enlisted and civilian personnel each year. Air University is responsible for Air Force enlisted and officer professional military education, professional continuing education and graduate education, as well as officer commissioning through Officer Training School and ROTC. The Curtis E. LeMay Center is responsible for the research, development and production of Air Force doctrine and input for joint and multinational doctrine development activities. The center is also responsible for advocating the proper doctrinal representation of airpower in exercise scenarios, war games, models and simulations, and providing policy and guidance of Air Force doctrine through education and focused outreach.
General Rothstein was commissioned in 1988 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned his pilot wings at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and was assigned as an F-16 pilot. General Rothstein has commanded an operations support squadron, an air operations group, two fighter wings and an air expeditionary wing in Afghanistan. He also served as the Director of Operations and Plans, U.S. Air Forces Central at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, and Chief, Activities Synchronization, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Kabul, Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment General Rothstein served in the U.S. State Department as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
General Rothstein is a command pilot with more than 2,500 hours in the F-16, C-130, T-37 and T-38.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor's degree in political science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1999 Master of Military Arts and Sciences degree, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2006 Master of Strategic Studies degree, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2012 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2012 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Senior Joint Information Operations Application Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1988 - January 1990, Student, Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. January 1990 - August 1990, Student, F-16 replacement training, 72nd Fighter Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
3. September 1990 - February 1992, F-16 Pilot, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
4. March 1992 - June 1995, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
5. July 1995 - December 1995, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. January 1996 - May 1998, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 69th Fighter Squadron, and Chief, F-16 Weapons and Tactics, 347th Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
7. June 1998 - June 1999, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. June 1999 - January 2002, Chief, Advanced Programs Branch, then Assistant Chief, Operations and Training Division, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
9. April 2002 - April 2004, Assistant Operations Officer, 421st Fighter Squadron, and operations officer, 34th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
10. April 2004 - November 2005, Commander, 57th Operations Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. December 2005 - May 2007, Student, then Special Assistant to the Commandant, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. May 2007 - March 2008, Commander, 609th Air Operations Group, and Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.
13. March 2008 - May 2009, Director, Operations and Plans, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central, Shaw AFB, S.C.
14. June 2009 - June 2010, Chief, Activities Synchronization, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
15. August 2010 - September 2012, Commander, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
16. September 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
17. August 2014 – July 2015, Commanding General, Train, Advise Assist Command – Air and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
18. August 2015 – August 2017, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Plans, Programs and Operations, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
19. August 2017 – present, Commander, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, and Vice Commander, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2009 - June 2010, Chief, Activities Synchronization, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel
2. August 2014 – July 2015, Commanding General, Train, Advise Assist Command – Air and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500
Aircraft flown: F-16C Block 30/40/50, C-130H, T-38 and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1988
First Lieutenant June 1, 1990
Captain June 1, 1992
Major Aug. 1, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2001
Colonel Dec. 1, 2006
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2012
Major General Aug. 3, 2015
(Current as of July 2019)