Brig. Gen. Stacy Kihara is the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché to Beijing, China. In this position, Brig. Gen. Kihara provides military advice and counsel to the Ambassador, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Indo-Pacific Command Commander. Brig. Gen. Kihara is also responsible for developing and maintaining relationships and communication with the Chinese Ministry of Defense and the People’s Liberation Army, Office for International Military Cooperation.
After serving as an enlisted Air Transportation Specialist, Brig. Gen. Kihara received her commission from Arizona State University in 2001. She is a career intelligence officer with extensive joint experience at the national and tactical levels in cryptologic intelligence, distributed multi-intelligence operations, targeting and joint fires, and has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels. She has served a variety of staff assignments to include Headquarters Pacific Air Force, Headquarters Indo-Pacific Command, Twenty-Fifth Air Force, and as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command/Director of the National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
Brig. Gen. Kihara has deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Allied Force and Southern Watch.
Prior to assuming her current position, Brig. Gen. Kihara was the Commander of the National Security Agency Texas, San Antonio, Texas.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y.
2001 Master of Arts, Educational Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Joint Targeting Course, Naval Air Station Dam Neck, Va.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Cyberspace Operations Transition Course, by correspondence
2014 Master of Arts, Security Studies, Homeland Security and Defense, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2017 Master of Arts, Security Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001–April 2004, Chief, Test Control Operations, Air Force Occupational Measurement Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 2004–November 2004, Student, Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. December 2004–July 2007, Senior Watch Officer; Flight Commander; and Cryptologic Support Team Officer in Charge, 324th Intelligence Squadron (National Security Agency Hawaii), Hickam AFB, Hawaii
4. July 2007–August 2008, Executive Officer; Global Hawk Program Analyst, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
5. August 2008–July 2009, Acting Director of Operations, 8th Intelligence Squadron (Distributed Ground Station-5), Hickam AFB, Hawaii
6. August 2009–July 2010, Chief, Target Intelligence, Special Operations Command Korea, Yongsan, Republic of Korea
7. July 2010–August 2012, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command/Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
8. August 2012–June 2013, Director of Operations, 22nd Intelligence Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
9. June 2013–January 2015, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
10. January 2015–July 2015, Chief, Cyber, Electronic Warfare, and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Integration Division, Headquarters 25th Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
11. July 2015–July 2017, Commander, 93d Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
12. July 2017–June 2018, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2018–November 2020, Deputy Division Chief, Joint Targets Division; Air Force Element Commander; and Special Advisor on Deterrence to the Deputy Commander, Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
14. November 2020–June 2021, Division Chief, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Operations and Analysis, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
15. June 2021–June 2023, Commander, 692d Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
16. July 2023–July 2025, Commander, National Security Agency Texas, San Antonio, Texas
17. July 2025–June 2026, Special Assistant to the Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2026–present, Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché to Beijing, China
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2018–November 2020, Deputy Division Chief, Joint Targets Division; Air Force Element Commander; and Special Advisor on Deterrence to the Deputy Commander, Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2023–July 2025, Commander, National Security Agency Texas, San Antonio, Texas, as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of June 2026)