Maj. Gen. Paul D. Johnson is the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. In this position, he assists with the development of contingency plans and the execution of air operations for the 21-nation U.S. Central Command area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia.
Maj. Gen. Johnson was commissioned in 1988 as an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Distinguished Graduate of the University of Maryland. Following assignment as a T-37B Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, he was a Distinguished Graduate of F-15 training. He served as Flight Commander at Langley AFB, Virginia, and as Instructor Pilot in the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Maj. Gen. Johnson joined the Maryland Air National Guard in 2000 and converted to the A-10. He is a command pilot with over 5,500 flying hours and has flown over 880 combat hours during 248 combat sorties in the F-15 and A-10. Maj. Gen. Johnson has served as Instructor Pilot, Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Current Operations, Chief of Wing Safety, Director of Operations, Group Commander and Vice Wing Commander. Maj. Gen. Johnson also served on National Guard Bureau staff as Chief, Operations Plans and Execution Division. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Johnson was the Air National Guard Assistant to the Director, Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces and the Commander of the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
1995 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Flight Safety Officer/Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2014 Homeland Protection Course, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Mass.
2014 Cyber Operations Fundamentals Course, by correspondence
2014 Cyber Executive Development Graduate Experience, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2015 Federal Emergency Management Agency Field Force Command and Planning Course, Baltimore, Md.
2017 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2018 Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2018 Regional Seminar- China/East Asia & Middle East, Alan S. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2018 Senior Leader Orientation Course; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland and Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2019 Safety and Accident Investigation Board President Course, JB Andrews, Md.
2019 Dual Status Commander Qualification Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 Joint Air Component Coordination Element Director Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2020 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, San Antonio, Texas
2021 Regional Seminar- INDO-PACOM, Alan S. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Combined/Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2022 National Strategic Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2022 Regional Seminar- Middle East and South Asia, Alan S. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2023 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C.
2023 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1989–June 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1990–November 1990, Student, T-37B Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. December 1990–March 1995, Instructor Pilot, Check Pilot, Spin Pilot, Evaluator Pilot and Assistant Flight Commander, T-37B, 35th Flying Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas
4. April 1995–September 1995, Student, F-15 Basic Operational Training Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
5. October 1995–December 1998, Plans Officer and Flight Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
6. January 1999–March 2000, Instructor Pilot and Chief of Current Operations, 101st FS, Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass.
7. April 2000–August 2000, Student, A-10 Basic Operational Training Course, Barksdale AFB, La.
8. September 2000–August 2005, Chief of Current Operations, 104th FS, Warfield ANGB, Md.
9. September 2005–June 2010, Chief of Safety, 175th Wing, Warfield ANGB, Md.
10. July 2010–June 2013, Director of Operations, 104th FS, Warfield ANGB, Md.
11. July 2013–May 2016, Commander, 175th Operations Group, Warfield ANGB, Md.
12. January 2015–August 2015, Chief, Operational Plans and Execution Division, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
13. June 2017–January 2018, Vice Commander, 175th Wing, Warfield ANGB, Md.
14. January 2018–January 2022, Commander, 175th Wing, Warfield ANGB, Md.
15. May 2021–April 2022, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director A-3/6, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
16. April 2022–present, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), Shaw AFB, S.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,500 including more than 880 combat hours
Aircraft flown: A-10 A/C, F-15 A/B/C/D, AT-38B, T-37B and T-38A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Action Medal
Gallant Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with valor device and five oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four bronze stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Overseas Ribbon (Short) with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Longevity Service with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two hourglass and seven "M" devices
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze star
Air and Space Training Ribbon
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal with bronze star
Maryland Distinguished Service Cross
Maryland Commendation Medal
Maryland Outstanding Unit Ribbon
Maryland National Guard Overseas Service Ribbon with three oak leaf clusters
Maryland National Guard State Service Ribbon
Maryland National Guard State Active Duty Ribbon
(Current as of August 2024)