Brig. Gen. Gail E. Crawford is the Director of the Operations and International Law Domain, Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Department of the Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. In that capacity, Brig. Gen. Crawford oversees the provision of legal services to the Air Force and Space Force on air and international law, space law, cyberspace and information law, environmental law and litigation, and aviation and admiralty tort matters. Brig. Gen. Crawford leads a team of nearly 100 judge advocates, civilian attorneys, and paralegals at 15 locations.
Brig. Gen. Crawford received a direct appointment as an Air Force judge advocate in January 1997, after serving eight years active duty enlisted. She has deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. She has served as a civil litigation attorney, a defense counsel, and a staff judge advocate at the wing, center and major command levels. Brig. Gen. Crawford is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Criminology, Florida State University, Tallahassee
1996 Juris Doctor, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Master of Laws, Labor and Employment Law, The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1997–July1998, Chief, Claims Division, 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.
2. July 1998–July 1999, Chief, Military Justice Division, 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.
3. July 1999–August 2000, Chief, Management and Analysis, Air Force Legal Services Agency, General Claims Division, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
4. August 2000–July 2002, Area Defense Counsel, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
5. July 2002–July 2004, Executive Officer to the Staff Judge Advocate, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
6. August 2004–August 2005, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.
7. August 2005–January 2007, Trial Attorney, Deputy Chief, Central Labor Law Office, General Litigation Division, Civil Law Directorate, AFLSA, Arlington, Va.
8. January 2007–May 2007, Staff Judge Advocate, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, United Arab Emirates
9. May 2007–April 2008, Deputy Chief, Employment Discrimination Branch, Labor Law Field Support Center, General Litigation Division, Civil Law Directorate, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Arlington, Va.
10. April 2008–June 2009, Legal Spokesperson, Office of Military Commissions, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va.
11. June 2009–June 2010, Executive Officer to the Commander, AFLOA, Bolling AFB D.C.
12. June 2010–July 2011, Deputy Chief, Appellate Defense Division, AFLOA, Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Md.
13. July 2011–June 2013, Staff Judge Advocate, 15th Wing, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
14. July 2013–June 2014, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. July 2014–July 2016, Staff Judge Advocate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB N.M.
16. July 2016–April 2018, Senior Military Assistant and Special Counsel to the Air Force General Counsel, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. April 2018–July 2020, Director, Professional Development, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters, United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. July 2020–June 2021, Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters ACC, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
19. June 2021–present, Director, Operations and International Law, Office of The Judge Advocate General, JB Andrews, Md.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1998 Air Force Space Command Company Grade Officer of the Year
2006 Air Force Legal Operations Agency Field Grade Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant Jan. 6, 1997
Captain July 6, 1997
Major Nov. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2009
Colonel June 1, 2015
Brigadier General May 11, 2021
(Current as of September 2021)