The Adjutant General, Colorado

Major General H. Michael Edwards is The Adjutant General for Colorado. He is responsible for the command administration of over 5,000 Colorado Army and Air National Guard members. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and is a member of the Governor's cabinet. He has responsibility for the Colorado National Guard's primary missions of national defense and state emergency response. In addition, he is responsible for supporting the missions of the Civil Air Patrol's Colorado Wing, consisting of over 2,500 volunteers.

General Edwards was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation on 6 June 1973 from the United States Air Force Academy. He attended undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas and earned his pilot wings in September 1974. He served as an F-4 Pilot and AT-38 Fighter Lead-in Instructor Pilot at Osan Air Base, Korea and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, respectively.

General Edwards joined the Colorado Air National Guard in August 1980. He has served in numerous assignments in flying and operations, as well as command positions at squadron, group, and wing levels. He also served as Combined Air Operations Center Commander, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar from May to June 2003. Major General Edwards is a command pilot with more than 4600 military flight hours, including 135 combat hours. He has flown the A-7, AT-38, C-21, F-4, F-16, T-37, and T-38 aircraft.

EDUCATION:

1973 United States Air Force Academy, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineer, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
1997 Air War College, by correspondence
2007 National Guard Joint Task Force Commander Course, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. August 1973 - September 1974, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1974 - November 1974, Student, AT-38, Fighter Lead-in Training, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
3. November 1974 - December 1975, Student, F-4, Replacement Training Unit, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
4. December 1975 - December 1976, Pilot, F-4, 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea
5. January 1977 - February 1978, Pilot, F-4, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
6. March 1978 - March 1980, Instructor Pilot, AT-38, 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
7. April 1980 - August 1993, A-7&F-16 Pilot/Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander /Scheduler, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
8. September 1993 - March 1995, F-16 Instructor Pilot/Operations Officer/Scheduler/Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
9. April 1995 - May 1997, Commander, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
10. June 1997 - August 1998, Commander, 140th Operations Group, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
11. September 1998 - August 2002, Vice Commander, 140th Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
12. September 2002 - May 2007, Commander, 140th Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
13. May 2003 - June 2003, Combined Air Operations Center Director, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
14. May 2007 - Present, The Adjutant General, Colorado National Guard

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 4600; 135 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: AT-38, A-7D/K, C-21, F-4D/E, F-16C/D, T-37, T-38
Pilot wings from: Reese Air Force Base, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters )
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with “M” Device, 1 Silver Hourglass and 1 Bronze numeral “3”)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Star)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Colorado Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Colorado Active Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Stars)
Colorado The Adjutant General Outstanding Unit Citation
Colorado Long Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars)
Colorado State Emergency Service Ribbon
Colorado Foreign Deployment Service Ribbon (with 1 Silver Star and 3 Bronze Stars)
Colorado State Mobilization Support Ribbon

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS:

Veterans of Foreign Wars
Air Force Association
American Legion
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Colorado
National Rifle Association

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

1977 49th Tactical Fighter Wing Top Gun
1978 49th Tactical Fighter Wing Top Gun
1979 465th Tactical Training Wing/49th Tactical Fighter Wing Combined Top Gun
2001 Team Leader 140th Wing's Champion Team Greater Georgia Turkey Shoot
2001 140th Wing Top Gun
2002 140th Wing Top Gun

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 6 June 1973
First Lieutenant 6 June 1975
Captain 6 June 1977
Major 6 June 1987
Lieutenant Colonel 20 August 1992
Colonel 3 March 1998
Brigadier General 9 October 2002
Major General 5 May 2007

(Current as of July 2010)