MAJOR GENERAL LEONARD W. ISABELLE, JR
Retired March 01, 2021
Major General Leonard Isabelle was the assistant adjutant general and commander of the Michigan Air National Guard. He was the principal air advisor to the adjutant general and was responsible for command and control of personnel, equipment and resources for two flying wings (KC-135R, A-10C, MQ-9), an air operations group, a cyber operations squadron and a combat readiness training center.
General Isabelle received his commission in 1987 as a graduate of the Academy of Military Science. He graduated from undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base in 1988. He has held numerous positions in operations and maintenance and has commanded at the flight, squadron, group and state air component levels. His five operational deployments include Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2015, General Isabelle participated in exercise Judicious Response as a joint air component coordination element director to US Africa Command. In 2016, General Isabelle served as the deputy commanding general for U.S. Northern Command Joint Task Force - X and commander of Joint Task Force – Search and Rescue for the Ardent Sentry Exercise. A command pilot, he has logged 2,950 flying hours including 260 combat hours, primarily in the A-10 and F-16 aircraft.
EDUCATION
1984 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Kettering University, Flint Township, Michigan
1985 Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1997 Squadron Officer School (SOS), by correspondence
2004 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
2008 Air War College, by correspondence
2012 Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century (AFSO21), in residence
2013 Air Force Combined Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course
2014 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC), Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2016 Advanced Senior Leader Development Program-Strategic Engagement Seminar (ASLDP-SES), in residence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1987 - December 1988, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 64th Flying Training Wing, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. December 1988 - October 1989, Operational Training Course, A-7D, 162nd Fighter Wing, Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona
3. October 1989 - May 1990, Operational Training Course, F-16A, 162nd Fighter Wing, Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona
4. May 1990 - May 1995, Pilot, F-16A, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
5. May 1995 - August 1995, F-16C Instructor Course, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
6. August 1995 - November 1998, Instructor Pilot, F-16C, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
7. November 1998 - June 2002, Commander, 127th Operations Support Flight, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
8. June 2002 - December 2004, Instructor Pilot, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
9. December 2004 - April 2007, Flight Commander, 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
10. April 2007 - November 2008, Commander, 127th Maintenance Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
11. November 2008 - March 2012, Commander, 127th Operations Group, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan
12. March 2012 - August 2012, Vice Chief of Staff, Michigan Air National Guard, Joint Forces Headquarters, Lansing, Michigan
13. August 2012 - December 2015, Chief of Staff
14. December 2015 - August 2019, Assistant Adjutant General, Lansing, MI
15. September 2019 - February 2021, Chief of Staff, Lansing, MI; dual-hatted, September 2019 - February 2021, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 1st Air Force, FL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,950 hours
Aircraft flown: A-7D, F-16A/C, A-10C, T-37, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with gold border
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award with three oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass, 'M’ device and numeral 2
Air Force Training Ribbon
Michigan Legion of Merit Medal
Michigan Broadsword Service Medal with gold oak leaf cluster
Michigan State War on Terrorism Ribbon
Michigan Outside United States Service Ribbon with eight device
Michigan State Partnership Ribbon
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
Air Force Association
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Michigan
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1990 Tactical Air Command Aircrew of Distinction Award
1990 Air Force Association Earl T. Ricks Award
1993 National Guard Association of Michigan Major General John Johnston Award
2016 Black Engineer of the Year Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 5, 1987
First Lieutenant Aug. 17, 1990
Captain Oct. 23, 1992
Major Jan. 22, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel June 2, 2004
Colonel June 19, 2009
Brigadier General Sept. 15, 2012
Major General Aug. 26, 2016
(Current as of April 2021)
