Brig. Gen. Robert G. Armfield is currently serving as the Vice Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy on the staff of U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In this capacity, General Armfield assists the director in conducting a wide range of military-to-military engagements; directing the efforts of regional Embassy Security Cooperation Offices; developing sensitive operational plans and crafting policy and strategy to support the commander’s priorities throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
General Armfield received his commission in 1990 from The Citadel. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and joint expeditionary levels. Prior to assuming his current assignment, General Armfield was the Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan. He is a master parachutist, freefall parachutist and combat diver.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, The Citadel, Charleston, S.C.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Master of Arts in Military Art and Operational Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Fellow, National Security Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1991 - March 1995, Chief, Standardization/Evaluation, SE Air Defense Sector, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2. March 1995 - December 1996, Special Tactics Officer Trainee, multiple installations
3. December 1996 - December 1998, Flight Commander, 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
4. January 1998 - July 2002, Director of Operations, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
5. August 2002 - May 2003, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 2003 - May 2005, Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. June 2005 - June 2007, Commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
8. July 2007 - June 2008, Fellow, National Security Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
9. June 2008 - June 2010, Chief, Strategy Division, U.S. European Command, Vaihingen, Germany
10. June 2010 - June 2012, Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. June 2012 - May 2014, Commander, 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. July 2014 - June 2015, Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Joint Task Force, Kabul, Afghanistan
13. July 2015 - present, Vice Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2006 - December 2006, Commander, Joint Special Mission Unit, Operation Enduring Freedom, as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2008 - June 2010, Chief, Strategy Division, U.S. European Command, Vaihingen, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
3. May 2014 - June 2015, Deputy Commanding General, NSOCC-A/SOJTF-A, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel and brigadier general
4. July 2015 - present, Vice Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distiguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraqi Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO Medal (International Security Assistance Force)
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Air Force Special Tactics Officer of the Year
2002 Air Force Lance Sijan Leadership Award
(Current as of August 2017)