BRIGADIER GENERAL APRIL D. VOGEL
Brig. Gen. April D. Vogel is the Director for the Office of Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. As Director, she is the primary advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau on all matters of Congressional interest and provides guidance and direction in the development of the National Guard Bureau Congressional Legislative Strategy. General Vogel is responsible for the overall management of the National Guard Bureau's activities with the United States Congress.
General Vogel earned her commission through the Air National Guard’s Academy of Military Science. She then served as the Space Initiatives Project Officer at Air Force Space Command and later transitioned to the 2nd Space Warning Squadron. After completion of pilot training in 2004, General Vogel deployed in support of both Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Following assignments in the NGB/A3 and the NGB/J3 at the National Guard Bureau, General Vogel was selected to be the 135th Airlift Squadron Commander. There she oversaw the conversion from C-130J to C-27J aircraft. General Vogel was the first Air National Guard Wing Commander of an active duty flying Wing. She went on to serve as the Commander of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, where she guided the wing’s worldwide combat air refueling and airlift missions and provided installation support to Headquarters U.S. Central Command, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, and 31 other joint mission partners. General Vogel served as the Maryland Assistant Adjutant General for Air and advised the Governor on all matters pertaining to the Maryland Air National Guard. In this role, she commanded the Maryland Air National Guard and supervised the overall management of the flying program and ensured all units were organized, equipped, and trained to support federal and state missions. At this same time, General Vogel served as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs. Here she was charged with building, sustaining, and expanding theater security cooperation and international relationships.
Prior to this current assignment, General Vogel was the Director for Manpower, Personnel, Recruiting, and Service at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, where she managed the comprehensive plans and policies covering all life cycles of personnel management, including advocacy at higher headquarters, end strength management, education and training, resource allocation, and the services program on behalf of 108,100 Airmen.
EDUCATION:
1994 Bachelor of Arts in History
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2013 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2019 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC); Joint Base Andrews, Md. & Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2020 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2021 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar (ASLDS), Warrenton, Va.
2021 National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC), Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 1995 - June 1997, Social Actions Officer, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
2. September 1996 - June 1999, Space Initiative Project Officer, Peterson AFB, Colo.
3. June 1999 - March 2000, Deputy Crew Commander, 2SWS, Buckley AFB, Colo.
4. March 2000 - May 2001, Chief, Weapons and Tactics Section, 2SWS, Buckley AFB, Colo.
5. May 2001 - February 2003, Space Functional Manager, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
6. February 2003 - January 2004, Executive Officer to the Chief Operating Officer, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
7. January 2004 - February 2005, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
8. April 2005 - February 2006, C-130E & C-130J Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. February 2006 - December 2009, C-130J Pilot, Assistant Flight Commander 135 AS, Warfield ANGB, Md.
10. January 2007 - June 2008, Mobilization Support, National Guard Bureau, Andrews AFB, Md.
11. June 2008 - November 2009, Branch Chief, DOMOPS & Airlift Scheduling, NGB, Andrews AFB, Md.
12. November 2009 - September 2010, Deputy Director, Future Operations Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
13. January 2010 - January 2011, C-38 Pilot, 201 AS, Andrews AFB, Md.
14. March 2010 - April 2012, C-130J/C-27J Pilot, 135 AS, Warfield ANGB, Md.
15. September 2010 - April 2012, Commander 135 AS, Warfield ANGB, Md.
16. August 2012 - June 2013, National War College Student, Ft McNair, Washington D.C.
17. June 2013 - May 2014, Director, Human Resources, National Guard Bureau, Andrews AFB, Md.
18. May 2014 - May 2015, Commander 175 WG-Det 1 (Cyber Operations), Warfield ANGB, Md.
19. May 2015 - July 2016, Wing Vice Commander, 175th Wing, Warfield ANGB, Md.
20. July 2016 - August 2018, Commander, 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
21. August 2018 - July 2019, Assistant Adjutant General, Baltimore, Md.; dual-hatted, October 2018 - July 2019, Air National Guard Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Washington, D.C.
22. July 2019 - April 2021, Director, Manpower, Personnel, Recruiting and Services (A-1), National Guard Bureau, Joint Base Andrews, MD
23. April 2021 - Present, Director, Office of Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Director, Office of Legislative Liaison, NGB, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 1,600
Aircraft flown: C-130E, C-130J, C-27J, C-38 and KC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant June 15, 1995
First Lieutenant June 15, 1997
Captain June 15, 1999
Major June 16, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel June 7, 2008
Colonel Jan. 1, 2013
Brigadier General Aug. 17, 2018
(Current as of November 2021)