Maj. Gen. Rebecca R. Vernon is the Deputy Judge Advocate General, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, and the Commander, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Maj. Gen. Vernon assists The Judge Advocate General in advising the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Space Operations and all officers and agencies of the Department of the Air Force. Additionally, she assists The Judge Advocate General in the professional oversight of more than 2,200 judge advocates, 350 civilian attorneys, 1,400 enlisted paralegals and 500 civilians in the Total Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps worldwide, overseeing military justice, operational and international law and civil law functions at all levels of Air Force and Space Force commands. As Commander, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Maj. Gen. Vernon leads more than 530 judge advocates, 280 paralegals and 60 civilian employees at duty stations worldwide.
Maj. Gen. Vernon entered the Air Force through the Direct Appointment Program in 1996. Maj. Gen. Vernon is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of New Hampshire, the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Supreme Court.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, Saint Anselm College, Goffstown, N.H.
1995 Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, New England School of Law, Boston, Mass.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2003 Master of Laws, Government Procurement, Highest Honors, The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1996–December 1996, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate (Chief of Legal Assistance), 347th Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
2. December 1996–December 1998, Area Defense Counsel, Air Force Legal Services Agency, Moody AFB, Ga.
3. December 1998–December 1999, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate (Chief of Civil Law), 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. December 1999–August 2002, Program Counsel, ESC/JA, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
5. August 2002–August 2003, Student, The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.
6. August 2003–August 2004, Special Counsel, SAF/GCQ, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. August 2004–July 2005, Federal Court Trial Attorney, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2005–June 2007, Instructor, The Judge Advocate General’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. June 2007–June 2010, Chief, Officer Assignments Branch, AF/JAX, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2010–July 2013, Staff Judge Advocate, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla (June 2012–October 2012, Staff Judge Advocate, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component-Afghanistan, Afghanistan)
11. July 2013–June 2014, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2014–July 2016, Executive Officer to The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2016–July 2019, Staff Judge Advocate, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. July 2019–September 2020, Staff Judge Advocate, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. September 2020–May 2022, Director, Military Justice and Discipline, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
16. May 2022–present, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., and Commander, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
2003 Writing Award, American Bar Association, Section of Public Contract Law
2003 Thomas P. Keenan, Jr. Award for International and Operational Law
2004 Outstanding Judge Advocate of the Year (Albert M. Kuhfeld Award)
2019 AFA Outstanding Senior Judge Attorney (Stuart R. Riechart Award)
BAR ADMISSIONS
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant Jan. 2, 1996
Captain July 2, 1996
Major Jan. 1,2003
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2009
Colonel Oct. 1, 2013
Brigadier General July 31, 2020
Major General May 19, 2022
(Current as of May 2023)