Assistant
Adjutant General - Air, Mississippi National Guard
Major General William J. Crisler serves as the Assistant Adjutant General for Air and as Commander, Mississippi Air National Guard, Joint Forces Headquarters, Jackson, Mississippi. He is responsible to the Adjutant General for directing Air National Guard operations and establishing policy, ensuring the combat readiness and mission capability of two flying Wings, a Combat Readiness Training Center, Air Support Operations Squadron, Air Component Operations Center, Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron and an Air Control Squadron.
General Crisler received his commission through Reserve Officer Training Corps in December 1978. Upon completion of his active duty commitment in August 1979, General Crisler joined the Mississippi Air National Guard. After graduating from Law School in 1982, he attended Navigator training at Mather Air Force Base. General Crisler has held numerous assignments throughout the 172d Airlift Wing and the Joint Forces Headquarters-Mississippi Air National Guard, commanding at the flight, squadron, group and wing levels.
Prior to this assignment, General Crisler served as the Chief of Staff of the Mississippi Air National Guard at Joint Forces Headquarters, Jackson, Mississippi.
1978 University of Southern Mississippi, Bachelor of Science, Hattiesburg,
Mississippi
1982 Mississippi College School of Law, Juris Doctorate, Jackson, Mississippi
1991 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, by correspondence
1995 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, by
correspondence
2002 Air War College, by Correspondence
2011 Director of Mobility Forces Course, United States Air Force Expeditionary
Center, Hurlbert Field, Florida
2013 Joint Task Force Commander Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson
Air Force Base, Colorado
2013 Duel Status Commander Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air
Force Base, Colorado
1. January 1979 - August 1979, Administrative Officer, 3781 School Squadron,
Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
2. October 1979 - May 1982, Executive Support Staff Officer, Headquarters,
Mississippi Air National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
3. May 1982 - June 1983, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air
Force Base, California
4. June 1983 - August 1983, Student, C-130H Navigator Training, Little Rock Air
Force Base, Arkansas
5. August 1983 - June 1985, Navigator, C130H, 172nd Airlift Wing, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
6. June 1985 - April 1989, Command Post Controller, 172nd Airlift Wing, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
7. April 1989 - December 1990, Operations Management Officer, Headquarters,
Mississippi Air National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
8. December 1990 - December 1992, Command Post Controller, 172nd Airlift Wing,
Thompson Field, Jackson, Mississippi
9. December 1992 - December 1995, Officer in Charge, Command Post, 172nd Aerial
Port Flight, Thompson Field, Jackson, Mississippi
10. December 1995 - December 1997, Commander, 172nd Aerial Port Flight, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
11. December 1997 - September 2003, Commander, 172nd Maintenance Squadron,
Thompson Field, Jackson, Mississippi
12. October 2003 - July 2004, Commander, 172nd Maintenance Group, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
13. July 2004 - March 2005, Director of Operations, Headquarters, Mississippi
Air National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi
14. March 2005 - September 2010, Vice Commander, 172nd Airlift Wing, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
15. September 2010 - January 2013, Commander, 172nd Airlift Wing, Thompson
Field, Jackson, Mississippi
16. January 2013 - January 2014, Chief of Staff, Mississippi Air National Guard,
Joint Force Headquarters, Jackson, Mississippi
17. February 2014 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Mississippi
National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Jackson, Mississippi
Rating: Navigator & Private Pilot
Flight Hours: Approximately 900 hours
Aircraft Flown: T-41, T-37, C-130E/H, C-141B, C-26
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship
Air Force Training Ribbon
Mississippi Emergency Service Medal
Mississippi Magnolia Cross
Mississippi War Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Mississippi Service School Medal
Mississippi Longevity Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Louisiana Emergency Service Medal
Second Lieutenant 20 December 1978
First Lieutenant 20 December 1981
Captain 13 April 1985
Major 22 February 1991
Lieutenant Colonel17 March 1998
Colonel 2 February 2004
Brigadier General 10 September 2010
Major General 1 February 2014
(Current as of February 2015)