Brig. Gen. Mark R. Kraus is the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Kentucky Air National Guard, where he represents the Governor and the Adjutant General of Kentucky as the principal advisor on matters pertaining to the Kentucky Air National Guard. He also serves as Commander, Kentucky Air National Guard. He is responsible to the Adjutant General of Kentucky for the overall management of the flying unit in the state. He also serves as the A-2, Assistant to the Director of the Air National Guard. In this capacity he serves as an advisor to the Director, Air National Guard on Air National Guard Intelligence issues and acts as a liaison between the Air National Guard and Air Force on matters pertaining to Air National Guard A-2. General Kraus also serves as Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. As Assistant to the Commander, he is responsible for advising the Commander and his staff on all issues impacting the Air National Guard and provides administrative oversight of assigned Air National Guard personnel. He ensures requirements and coordination for the Air National Guard and the Air Force Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency gained Air National Guard units are included in the planning, programming and execution phases of the mission elements.

General Kraus received his commission through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science in 1979. He was mobilized in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. While deployed for Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, he served with United States Central Command as Commander of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, and Deputy Commander of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group.

EDUCATION
1987 McKendree College, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Louisville, Ky.
2001 Air War College, by correspondence
2006 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Course, Tysons Corner, Va.
2008 Joint Task Force Commander's Training Course, United States Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2009 Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2009 George C. Marshall Center, Senior Executive Seminar, Garmisch, Germany
2010 Air Force Smart Operations 21 Level II Certification, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
2012 Dual Status Commander's Course, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1979-July 1980, Student, Air Force Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
2. July 1980-April 1981, Student, Tactical Reconnaissance Training Course, Shaw AFB, S.C.
3. May 1981-April 1982, Weapons Systems Officer, A Flight Member, 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
4. May 1982-December 1990, Airspace Manager, Flying Training Officer and Flight Scheduler/Current Operations, 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, later, 165th Airlift Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
5. December 1990-March 1992, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
6. March 1992-July 1995, Navigator, Standardization/Evaluation, 123rd Operations Group, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
7. July 1995-July 1997, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 123rd OG, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
8. July 1997-July 1999, Flight Commander, 165th Airlift Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
9. August 1999-July 2000, Operations Officer, 165th AS, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
10. August 2000-January 2003, Commander, 165th AS, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
11. January 2003-November 2004, Commander, 123rd OG, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky; also served June 2003 - August 2003, Acting Wing Commander, 123rd AW, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
12. November 2004-October 2008, Commander, 123rd AW, Kentucky Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
13. October 2008-present, Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Kentucky National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Kentucky National Guard, Frankfort, Ky.; August 2009-present, A-2, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director, Air National Guard, Arlington, Va. and May 2011-present, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft Flown: C-130B/H, RF-4C, T-43, T-37

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star with bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Air Force Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Service Medal with two bronze service stars
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with gold hourglass, "M" device and numeral III
Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal
Kentucky Merit Ribbon
Kentucky Commendation Ribbon
Kentucky Service Ribbon with silver oak leaf cluster

(Current as of January 2013)