MAJOR GENERAL GREGORY J. LENGYEL
Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Lengyel is the Deputy Commanding General of Joint Special Operations Command, which prepares assigned, attached, and augmentation forces, and when directed, conducts special operations against threats to protect the Homeland and U.S. interests abroad.
General Lengyel earned his commission in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M University. He is a career special operations pilot who has flown the UH-1H/N, MH-53J/M and CV-22B operationally, and has participated in contingency operations in Haiti, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somaliaand Libya. General Lengyel has commanded the 21st Special Operations Squadron, U.S. Central Command’s Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, 1st Special Operations Wing, the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Wing and Special Operations Command Europe. He has also completed joint staff tours at U.S. Special Operations Command, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. General Lengyel is a graduate of the United States Marine Corps’ Air Weapons and Tactics Instructor program and is an Honorary Member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Psychological Operations Regiment.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science, engineering technology, Texas A&M University, College Station
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master of Science, international relations, Troy State University, Ala.
1997 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
1999 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2001 Air War College, by seminar
2007 National Defense Fellow, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1985 – July 1987, Satellite Officer, Headquarters U.S. Space Command, Petersen AFB, Colo.
2. August 1987 – June 1988, Helicopter Student Pilot 3588th Flying Training Squadron, Fort Rucker, Ala.
3. June 1988 – June 1991, UH-1N Evaluator Pilot, Detachment 24, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
4. July 1991 – April 1992, MH-53J Student, 1551st Flying Training Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. May 1992 – May 1993, MH-53J Pilot, 31st Special Operations Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
6. June 1993 – June 1996, MH-53J Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. June 1996 – June 1999, Assistant Director of Operations, 551st Special Operations Squadron; and Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. July 1999 – June 2001, Policy and Strategy officer; and executive officer to the Deputy Commander in Chief, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
9. July 2001 – June 2004, Director of Operations and Commander, 21st Special Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England
10. June 2004 – July 2006, Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. July 2006 – June 2007, National Defense Fellow, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2007 – July 2008, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Balad Joint Base, Iraq
13. August 2008 – November 2008, Special Assistant to the A3, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. November 2008 – June 2010, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. June 2010 – June 2012, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO, Mons, Belgium
16. June 2012 – July 2014, Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
17. August 2014 – June 2016, Commander, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
18. June 2016 – August 2018, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 – June 2001, Policy and Strategy Officer; and executive officer to DCINCSOC, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major
2. June 2004 – July 2006, Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2007 – July 2008, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Balad Joint Base, Iraq, as a colonel
4. June 2010 – June 2012, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO, Mons, Belgium, as a brigadier general
5. August 2014 – June 2016, Commander, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a major general
6. June 2016 – August 2018, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 3,900
Aircraft flown: TH-55, UH-1H/N, TH-53A, MH-53J/M, CV-22B, Mi-17, PC-12, U-28A, MC-130P, AC-130U/H, TG-16A, and B-2
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1985
First Lieutenant July 14, 1987
Captain July 14, 1989
Major May 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2001
Colonel March 1, 2006
Brigadier General January 14, 2011
Major General May 2, 2014
(Current as of May 2018)
General Lengyel earned his commission in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M University. He is a career special operations pilot who has flown the UH-1H/N, MH-53J/M and CV-22B operationally, and has participated in contingency operations in Haiti, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science, engineering technology, Texas A&M University, College Station
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master of Science, international relations, Troy State University, Ala.
1997 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
1999 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2001 Air War College, by seminar
2007 National Defense Fellow, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1985 – July 1987, Satellite Officer, Headquarters U.S. Space Command, Petersen AFB, Colo.
2. August 1987 – June 1988, Helicopter Student Pilot 3588th Flying Training Squadron, Fort Rucker, Ala.
3. June 1988 – June 1991, UH-1N Evaluator Pilot, Detachment 24, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
4. July 1991 – April 1992, MH-53J Student, 1551st Flying Training Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. May 1992 – May 1993, MH-53J Pilot, 31st Special Operations Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
6. June 1993 – June 1996, MH-53J Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. June 1996 – June 1999, Assistant Director of Operations, 551st Special Operations Squadron; and Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. July 1999 – June 2001, Policy and Strategy officer; and executive officer to the Deputy Commander in Chief, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
9. July 2001 – June 2004, Director of Operations and Commander, 21st Special Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England
10. June 2004 – July 2006, Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. July 2006 – June 2007, National Defense Fellow, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2007 – July 2008, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Balad Joint Base, Iraq
13. August 2008 – November 2008, Special Assistant to the A3, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. November 2008 – June 2010, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. June 2010 – June 2012, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO, Mons, Belgium
16. June 2012 – July 2014, Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
17. August 2014 – June 2016, Commander, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
18. June 2016 – August 2018, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 – June 2001, Policy and Strategy Officer; and executive officer to DCINCSOC, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major
2. June 2004 – July 2006, Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2007 – July 2008, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Balad Joint Base, Iraq, as a colonel
4. June 2010 – June 2012, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO, Mons, Belgium, as a brigadier general
5. August 2014 – June 2016, Commander, Special Operations Command Europe, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a major general
6. June 2016 – August 2018, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 3,900
Aircraft flown: TH-55, UH-1H/N, TH-53A, MH-53J/M, CV-22B, Mi-17, PC-12, U-28A, MC-130P, AC-130U/H, TG-16A, and B-2
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 14, 1985
First Lieutenant July 14, 1987
Captain July 14, 1989
Major May 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2001
Colonel March 1, 2006
Brigadier General January 14, 2011
Major General May 2, 2014
(Current as of May 2018)
