Brig. Gen. Michael P. Winkler is the Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. PACAF's primary mission is to provide ready air and space power to promote United States interests in the Indo-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis and in war. General Winkler supports the Commander Pacific Air Forces, in this mission by providing oversight of the strategy for operational plans, international relations, theater security cooperation, and programming of $16.5 billion in Pacific Theater resources.
General Winkler graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991 with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering. General Winkler has held a variety of flying, staff and command assignments, including command of the 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, the 613th Air Operations Center, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. General Winkler is a distinguished graduate of Undergraduate Pilot Training and also a distinguished graduate of the F-15C Replacement Training Unit at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. General Winkler has participated in numerous combat operations including Operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
General Winkler is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and a command pilot with more than 2,000 hours, primarily in the F-15. Prior to his current assignment, he was Vice Commander, Fifth Air Force, and Director, Pacific Air Forces Joint Air Component Coordination Element, Yokota AB, Japan.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science, engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
1993 Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
1995 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2005 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2009 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2014 Enterpise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina
2016 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1992 - January 1993, Student Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. January 1993 - February 1996, Maintenance Officer, Flight Commander, 325th Maintenance Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Florida
3. February 1996 - August 1996, Student, F-15C Fighter Training Unit, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Florida
4. September 1996 - September 1999, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, 19th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. September 1999 - July 2000, Instructor Pilot, Chief of Standardization Evaluations, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Virginia
6. July 2000 - December 2000, Student, F-15C Division, United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
7. January 2001 - July 2003, Squadron and Wing Weapons Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia
8. July 2003 - July 2005, F-15 Program Weapons and Tactics Manager, HQ ACC, Langley AFB, Virginia
9. July 2005 - July 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
10. July 2006 - January 2008, Director of Operations, 33rd Operations Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
11. January 2008 - February 2009, Commander, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
12. February 2009 - July 2009, Deputy Group Commander, 33d Operations Group, Eglin AFB, Florida
13. July 2009 - June 2010, Student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
14. June 2010 - July 2012, Military Professor, Strategy and Policy Department, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
15. August 2012 - May 2014, Commander, 613th Air Operations Center, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
16. June 2014 - June 2016, Commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska
17. July 2016 - January 2018, Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, and Director, Pacific Air Forces Joint Air Component Coordination Element, Yokota AB, Japan
18. February 2018 - present, Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 2,000
Aircraft flown: F-15B/C/D/E, T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29,1991
First Lieutenant May 29,1993
Captain May 29, 1995
Major April 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2006
Colonel Sept. 1, 2011
Brigadier General April 21, 2017
(Current as of February 2018)