Brigadier General Christopher J. Knapp
Brigadier General Christopher J. Knapp served as the Chief of Staff, Missouri Air National Guard. He was responsible for establishing policy to ensure mission readiness of a B-2 Bomb Association Wing, C-130 Airlift Wing, Air Operations Group, Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, Air Traffic Control and Combat Communications Squadrons, and other support missions and programs totaling over 2,250 Air National Guard personnel. Assists the Adjutant General in formulating, developing and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans enabling ANG personnel to respond to both Federal and State mission requirements. Core member of the Missouri Joint Force Headquarters Joint Staff, serving as the senior Air Force advisor to TAG, and oversees ANG participation in the State Partnership Program with Panama.
General Knapp received his commission in 1981 as Second Lieutenant. In May 1985 upon completion of medical school, he was promoted to Captain. He was assigned to Aviano Air Base, Italy in 1988 and served as Chief of Clinic Services. Subsequent assignments included Chief, Family Practice Clinic and Exercise Evaluation Team and Chief, Aeromedical Services. General Knapp entered the Aerospace Medicine Residency at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas in 1993 and graduated in 1996. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 1999. General Knapp was re-commissioned in 2002 in the Illinois Air National Guard, and served as Commander, 126th Medical Group. He then transferred to the Missouri Air National Guard on 28 March 2008 and served as the State Air Surgeon. General Knapp has logged over 100 combat and combat support flight hours in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM and SOUTHERN WATCH. He is dual board certified by the American Board of Medical Preventive Medicine in Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Medicine, as well as board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He has been in private practice in the field of Occupational Medicine since 1999, currently serving as the Medical Director, Occupational Health Clinic, Gateway Regional Medical Center, in Granite City, Illinois, and also serves as a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration.
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
1985 Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Doctor of Medicine
1987 Squadron Officer School
1992 Air Command Staff College
1994 Master of Science in Public Health (MPH), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
1996 Aerospace and Occupational Medicine Residency
2003 Air War College (AirWC), non-residence
2013 Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute
2014 SLOC, in residence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1981 - May 1985, Student, Medical Training Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
2. May 1985 - June 1988, Resident, Family Practice Residency Program, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
3. July 1988 - June 1990, Chief, Clinic Services, 40th Tactical Group Clinic, Aviano Air Base, Italy
4. July 1990 - June 1991, Chief, Family Practice and Exercise Evaluation Team, 40th Tactical Support Wing Clinic, Aviano Air Base, Italy
5. July 1991 - May 1993, Chief, Aeromedical Services, 401st Medical Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
6. May 1993 - June 1996, Resident, Aerospace and Occupational Medicine, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas
7. July 1996 - June 1998, Commander, 99th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
8. June 1998 - March 2002, Headquarters, Air Reserve Personnel Center, Denver, Colorado
9. March 2002 - November 2003, Commander, 126th Medical Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
10. December 2003 - March 2008, Commander, 126th Medical Group, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
11. March 2008 - May 2010, State Air Surgeon, Missouri Air National Guard, Jefferson City, Missouri
12. June 2010 - August 2012, Medical Readiness Assistant to Command Surgeon, USAFE
13. August 2012 - May 2017, Assistant to the Command Surgeon, Air Combat Command (ACC/SG), Langley AFB, VA
14. June 2017 - April 2019, Chief of Staff, Jefferson City, MO
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Chief Flight Surgeon
Flight hours: over 1,450 with over 100 Combat and Combat Support
Aircraft flown: B-1B, B-52H, C-2A, C-5A, C-7, C-9A, C-12F, C-17, C-21A, C-130E/H, F-15B/D/E, F-16B/D, UH-60A
Pilot wings: Brooks Air Force Base, Texas
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Antarctica Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long Tour
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Frame)
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device and Numeral 2
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with Bronze Service Star
Air Force Training Ribbon
Missouri Recruiting and Retention Ribbon with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Missouri National Guard Long Service 5 Year Ribbon
Illinois Military Distinguished Service Medal
Illinois Long and Honorable Service Medal
Illinois Military Attendance Ribbon with Numeral 3
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
Medical Director and Occupational Medicine Physician, Gateway Regional Medical Center, Granite City, Illinois
Clinical Associate Professor in Family Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 Master Scuba Diver
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1, 1981
Captain May 9, 1985
Major May 9, 1991
Lieutenant Colonel May 9, 1997
Colonel Feb. 27, 2004
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2013
(Current as of April 2019)
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