Brig. Gen. Christopher F. Yancy is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the air component to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, USAFE-AFAFRICA is responsible for providing full-spectrum warfighting capabilities to both combatant commanders throughout their area of responsibility, which encompasses 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, and possesses more than a quarter of the world’s population and world’s gross domestic product.
Brig. Gen. Yancy entered the Air Force in 1988 as a distinguished ROTC graduate from Texas A&M University. He served 11 years in the regular Air Force as an F-16 pilot in Air Combat Command and U.S. Air Forces Europe. He joined the Air Force Reserve in 1999 and has held various command positions at the squadron, group and wing level. His combat experience includes nine deployments in operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch and Northern Watch; multiple operations in the former Yugoslavia; and Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Command in South Korea.
Brig. Gen. Yancy is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours primarily in the F-16 Block 30+, 40, 50 and 50+ as well as 15+ years of joint/partner programmatic, test and tactics development experience in the F-35. In his previous assignment, he served as Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
1995 Forward Air Controller – Airborne Instructor Course, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
1996 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 U.S. Air Force Safety and Accident Investigation Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, Ariz.
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Area Studies Seminar, Africa, Washington, D.C.
2018 Area Studies Seminar, Middle East and South Asia, Washington, D.C.
2019 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course (CFACC), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 General/Flag Officer and Ambassador Course, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
2022 Area Studies Seminar, Transnational Threats, Washington, D.C.
2023 Advanced Senior Leadership Development Seminar, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1989–November 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Distinguished Graduate, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. November 1990–February 1991, Student, Fighter Lead-In Training, 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. March 1991–September 1991, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, 61st Fighter Training Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
4. September 1991–September 1992, F-16 Pilot; Chief, ACMI Range Control, 308th/307th Fighter Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla.
5. September 1992–October 1995, F-16 Instructor Pilot; Mission Commander; Assistant Chief, Weapons and Tactics; and Chief, Plans and Mobility, 308th/68th Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
6. October 1995–September 1998, F-16 Instructor Pilot; Mission Commander; Flight Commander; Chief, Wing Flying Standardization and Evaluations; Chief of Safety; and Chief Wing FCF Pilot, 555th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy
7. September 1998–November 2009, Deputy Operations Group Commander; Assistant Director of Operations; Weapons and Tactics Flight Commander; Chief, Weapons and Tactics; and Chief, Wing Safety, 457th Fighter Squadron, 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas
8. September 2009–April 2011, Commander, 457th Fighter Squadron, 301st Fighter Wing, NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas
9. April 2011–August 2013, Vice Commander, 944th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
10. August 2013–August 2014, Vice Commander, 301st Fighter Wing, NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas
11. August 2014–March 2016, Individual Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Force Application, Headquarters Air Force A5RC, the Pentagon, Va.
12. March 2016–July 2018, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Plans, Programs and Analyses for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
13. July 2018–September 2019, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Second Air Force, Keesler AFB, Miss.
14. September 2019–September 2020, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
15. September 2020–June 2023, Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany
16. June 2023–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2020–June 2023, Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000, including more than 650 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-16, AT-38, T-38, T-37, B-727, A-319/320/321, A-330
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Gallant Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and eight oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two devices
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
NATO Medal
(Current as of June 2023)