BRIGADIER GENERAL CECIL J. HENSEL JR

Assistant Adjutant General - Air, North Dakota National Guard

Brigadier General Cecil J. Hensel Jr. is Assistant Adjutant General - Air, North Dakota National Guard. He also serves as Air Component Commander of the North Dakota Air National Guard. General Hensel formulates plans and establishes policies for the North Dakota Air National Guard, coordinates staff activities pertaining to administration, operations, maintenance, and resources to assure accomplishment of federal, state and unit missions.

General Hensel earned his commission as a graduate of the North Dakota State University Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in 1981. He spent 12 years on active duty prior to joining the Air National Guard and has served as a weapons system operator, pilot, flight lead, instructor and evaluator. Prior to his current assignment he served as Director of Director of Operations for Air/Operations and Training (J3/7) for the Joint Force Headquarters in Bismarck, North Dakota. He has also served as the Director of Staff for Air/Vice Chief of Joint Staff for Support for the Joint Force Headquarters in Bismarck, North Dakota. He is a command pilot with more than 4000 hours, primarily in fighter aircraft.

EDUCATION:

1981 North Dakota State University, Bachelor of Science, Physics, Fargo, North Dakota
2005 Air War College, by correspondence
2007 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia
2010 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. October 1981 - May 1982, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, 452nd Flying Training Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, California
2. May 1982 - July 1982, Student, Tactical Navigator Training, 455th Flying Training Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, California
3. July 1982 - February 1983, Student, Electronic Warfare Training, 453rd Flying Training Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, California
4. February 1983 - September 1983, Student, F-111 Upgrade Training, 389th Tactical Training Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
5. September 1983 - October 1985, Weapons Systems Officer, F-111, 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force, Upper Heyford, United Kingdom
6. October 1985 - November 1986, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Student Squadron, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
7. November 1986 - May 1987, Student, Tactical Pilot Upgrade Training, 433rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
8. May 1987 - August 1987, Student, F-15 Upgrade Training, 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
9. August 1987 - February 1990, Pilot, F-15, Chief of Squadron Programming and Wing Programming Officer, 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
10. February 1990 - May 1990, Student, Instructor Pilot Training, 88 Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
11. May 1990 - September 1992, Instructor Pilot, T-38, Flight Commander, Supervisor of Flying, 90th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
12. September 1992 - June 1993, Branch Chief of Standards and Evaluations, T-38, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
13. June 1993 - August 1993, Student, F-16 Upgrade Training, Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon
14. August 1993 - September 1994, Pilot, F-16, 178th Fighter Squadron, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, North Dakota
15. September 1994 - September 1997, Instructor Pilot, F-16, 178th Fighter Squadron, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, North Dakota
16. September 1997 - December 2001, Pilot/Flight Commander, F-16, 178th Fighter Squadron, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, North Dakota
17. December 2001 - January 2002, Weapons Evaluation Officer, 119th Fighter Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, North Dakota
18. January 2002 - April 2005, Operations Support Flight Commander, 119th Fighter Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, Fargo, North Dakota
19. April 2005 - May 2007, Director of Operations for Air, North Dakota Joint Force Headquarters North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota
20. May 2007 - December 2007, Director of Staff, North Dakota Joint Force Headquarters North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota
21. December 2007 - May 2010, Director of Operations for Air/, North Dakota Joint Force Headquarters North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota
22. May 2010 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, North Dakota National Guard, Hector International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4000
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, T-43, F-15, F-16, F-111
Pilot Wings Earned: Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
Navigator Wings Earned: Mather Air Force Base, California

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 'M' Device and Silver Hour Glass)
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Service (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (with Bronze Star)
Air Force Training Ribbon
North Dakota State Commendation Ribbon
North Dakota Air National Guard OCONUS Ribbon
North Dakota Air National Guard Recruiting Ribbon
North Dakota National Guard Emergency Service Ribbon
North Dakota National Guard Service Ribbon (with Bronze Hourglass)

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

October 1995 - Present, Pilot/Flight Engineer, Boeing 757 & 767, United Airlines, O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois
Flight Hours: More than 5500

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS:

Co-Chairmen Air Force Central Service Area Airspace/Range Executive Council, Rep for Great Lakes Region
Stirring Committee Member for Air National Guard Strategic Planning System as Priority One Champion

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 30 July 1981
First Lieutenant 30 July 30 1983
Captain 30 July 1985
Major 01 September 1994
Lieutenant Colonel 07 February 1999
Colonel 27 April 2006
Brigadier General 16 June 2010

(Current as of September 2011)