Brigadier General Edward A. “Ed” McIlhenny is the assistant adjutant general for Air who also serves as commander for the Kansas Air National Guard, Topeka, Kansas. The Kansas Air National Guard is comprised of two refueling wings, a bombing range, an air control squadron, weather flight, intelligence squadron, information warfare squadron and a network operations security center.
He attended the United States Air Force academy. During his time at the academy, he distinguished himself as a four-year letterman in lacrosse, earning honors as Most Valuable Player, and Team Captain. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences in 1974. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and entered undergraduate pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. As a military pilot, he graduated second in his F4 RTU class at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, flew F4s at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland, where he intercepted twenty-two Soviet TU 95 “Bear” bombers. In Iceland, he was a member of the 57 Fighter Interceptor Squadron 1978 William Tell Competition Team. Following this assignment, he performed duty as a forward air controller at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. After six years of active duty, he accepted a full-time assignment as an instructor pilot at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and joined the Kansas Air National Guard in 1981. With the acceptance of a pilot position for American Airlines in 1984, he transitioned to a “traditional” guardsman role and continued as an instructor pilot as the unit transitioned from F-4s to F-16 A's and C's, and then B-1Bs.
During General McIlhenny's twenty two years of service in the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as a flight scheduler, academic instructor, and flight examiner. As the commander of the largest Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron in the Air National Guard, he led the reorganization of the unit to an Aircraft Generation Squadron. In 1997, he was selected as the vice commander of the 184th Bomb Wing and held this position for two years. Subsequently, he was selected as the chief of staff for the Kansas Air National Guard and was promoted to Brigadier General. In May 2003, he assumed command of the Kansas Air National Guard as the Assistant Adjutant General for Air. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, completed in 1983 and the Air War College, completed in 1996.
1974 Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Sciences, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
1984 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1996 Air War College, by correspondence
2003 CAPSTONE, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2004 National Security Program, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1. July 1974 - August 1975, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 1976 - August 1976, student, F-4E operational training, 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead Air Force Base, Florida
3. September 1976 - December 1977, F-4E pilot, 339th Fighter Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
4. January 1978 - December 1978, F-4C/E pilot, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Keflavik, Iceland
5. January 1979 - August 1980, forward air controller, O-2A pilot, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
6. January 1981 - May 1986, F-4D instructor pilot, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
7. June 1986 - July 1992, F-16 instructor pilot, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
8. July 1992 - July 1997, CAMS/AGS commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
9. July 1997 - February 1999, vice commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
10. February 1999 - December 2000, commander, 184th Bomb Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas
11. January 2001 - May 2003, chief of staff, Kansas Air National Guard Headquarters, STARC, Topeka, Kansas
12. May 2003 - Present, assistant adjutant general/air, air commander, Topeka, Kansas
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 10,000
Aircraft flown: B-1B, F-16A/B/C/D, F-4C/D/E, O-2A
Pilot wings from: Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
Legion of Merit Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Short Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze star
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kansas Commendation Ribbon
Kansas National Guard Service Medal with one device
Commercial airline pilot
Second Lieutenant Jun 5, 1974
First Lieutenant Jun 5, 1976
Captain Jun 5, 1978
Major Aug 1, 1987
Lieutenant Colonel Jul 22, 1992
Colonel Jun 27, 1997
Brigadier General Mar 30, 2001
(Current as of November 2005)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.