Brig. Gen Michael H. Manion is Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. As Director, he is responsible for gaining and maintaining EMS and electronic warfare superiority. Brig. Gen. Manion orchestrates enterprise-wide actions and unity of effort in developing and synchronizing multi-domain EMS operations doctrine, strategy, policy, requirements, capability development and planning, programming, budgeting and execution across all Air Force core functions. Additionally, Brig. Gen. Manion leads the EMS Dominance Cross Functional Team in partnership with the Department of the Air Force team.
Brig. Gen. Manion received his commission in 1995 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has served in a variety of flying, staff and command assignments and has deployed extensively. Some of his deployments include participation in Operations Allied Force, Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom, Autumn Return, Iraqi Freedom, Unified Response and Unified Protector.
The general is a master navigator and electronic warfare officer with more than 2,500 flying hours, including 585 combat hours, in the T-37, T-39, T-43, EC-130H, MC-130H, RC-135V/W, RC-135S, RC-135U, OC-135, and WC-135.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Finance, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia
2001 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Calif.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Master of Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 RAND Research Fellow, Project Air Force, Santa Monica, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1995–March 1997, Navigator/Electronic Warfare Student, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Naval Air Station Pensacola, Corry Station, Fla.
2. March 1997–October 1999 Instructor Mission Crew Commander, EC-130H, 41st and 43rd Electronic Combat Squadrons, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. October 1999–April 2000, Student, MC-130H Initial Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. April 2000–December 2002, Instructor/Evaluator Electronic Warfare Officer, Flight Commander, 7th Special Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
5. January 2003–June 2003, Student, MC-130H, United States Air Force Weapons School
6. June 2003–March 2005, MC-130H Weapons Officer, 15th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. March 2005–June 2006, Special Operations Forces Instructor, 14th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. July 2006–July 2007, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. July 2007–July 2008, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2008–September 2010, Chief of Strategic Plans/Guidance, 612th Air Operations Center, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.; later Commander, Joint Task Force Bravo (-), Joint Task Force Haiti, Port au Prince Airport, Haiti
11. September 2010–June 2013, Director of Operations, 42d Electronic Combat Squadron; Commander, 755th Operations Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; later Commander, 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
12. June 2013–June 2014, RAND Research Fellow, Project Air Force, Santa Monica, Calif.
13. June 2014–June 2016, Director, U.S. Policy Division, Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy (J5), Headquarters U.S. Forces Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
14. June 2016–June 2017, Vice Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik, Turkey
15. June 2017–June 2019, Commander, 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. June 2019–June 2020, Director, Joint and National Security Council Matters, Headquarters Air Force A3, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2020–present, Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Headquarters Air Force A5, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2014–June 2016, Director, U.S. Policy Division, Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy (J5), Headquarters U.S. Forces Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
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 Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Gallant Unit Citation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1995
First Lieutenant July 14, 1997
Captain July 14, 1999
Major Dec. 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2010
Colonel Aug. 1, 2015
Brigadier General April 15, 2021
(Current as of April 2021)