MAJOR GENERAL HOWARD P. PURCELL
Maj. Gen. Howard P. Purcell is the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, and Air Component Commander, for the Arizona Air National Guard. He is responsible for leadership and direction of the state's F-16/MQ-9 Wing, KC-135 Air Refueling Wing, and over 2700 Airmen with the mission to provide operationally trained, equipped, and ready forces in support of national defense requirements worldwide, and emergency response capability throughout Arizona and the surrounding region. In addition, General Purcell is dual-hatted as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 12th Air Force (AFSOUTH).
Prior to this assignment, General Purcell served as the Deputy Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa; the Chief of Staff-Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Arizona Air National Guard; and Commander of the 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, operating F-16 and MQ-1/MQ-9 aircraft.
General Purcell served 14 years in the active duty Air Force as an F-16 Weapons Officer, Instructor Pilot, and Standardization Evaluation Flight Examiner. He finished his active duty career at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, as an F-16 Programs Officer for the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron System Evaluation Program. After separating from active duty, he joined the Virginia Air National Guard in 2002 where he served as Vice Commander of the 192d Fighter Wing and A3/Director of Operations prior to assuming command of the 162d. General Purcell is a command pilot with over 3,000 hours in F-16 and F-22 aircraft.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science in Productions Operations Management, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
1994 Squadron Officer School (SOS), by correspondence
2000 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
2006 Air War College, by correspondence
2015 Interim Guard Senior Leader Training (IGSLT), in residence
2016 Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM), in residence
2016 Joint Domestic Operations Course (NORTHCOM), in residence
2016 Joint Force Headquarters/Joint Task Force Staff Training , in residence
2016 National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC), Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2018 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
2019 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar (ASLDS), Arlie Center, Warrenton, Virginia
2019 George C. Marshall Center, Senior Executive Seminar, Garmisch, Germany
2022 Regional Seminar - Eurasia, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1988 - August 1989, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
2. August 1989 - April 1990, Student, F-16 Fighter Training, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
3. April 1990 - September 1993, F-16 Mission Ready Pilot, 17th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, deployment; August 1990 - March 1991, Pilot, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, United Arab Emirates
4. September 1993 - March 1998, F-16 Operation Test and Evaluation Pilot, 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
5. March 1998 - September 2000, F-16 Assistant Director of Operations, 18th Fighter Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, deployment; January 2000 - April 2000, Pilot, Mission Director (Northern Watch), Turkey
6. September 2000 - June 2002, F-16 Program Officer, 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida
7. June 2002 - November 2005, F-16 Weapons Officer and Instructor Pilot, 192nd Fighter Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, Richmond, Virginia, deployment; September 2003 - September 2003, Pilot, Weapons Officer, Operations Iraqi Freedom, Qatar
8. November 2005 - August 2008, 192nd Fighter Wing Operational Support Commander, Virginia Air National Guard, Richmond, Virginia
9. August 2008 - June 2011, 192nd Fighter Wing Detachment 1 Commander, United States Joint Forces Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia
10. June 2011 - February 2013, 192nd Fighter Wing Vice-Wing Commander, Virginia Air National Guard, Joint Base Langley, Virginia
11. February 2013 - May 2013, Director of Staff - Air, Headquarters, Virginia Air National Guard, Richmond, Virginia
12. May 2013 - November 2013, A3 Director of Operations, Headquarters, Virginia Air National Guard, Richmond, Virginia
13. November 2013 - October 2016, Commander, 162nd Wing, Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona
14. October 2016 - January 2017, Chief of Staff - Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Arizona Air National Guard, Phoenix, Arizona
15. January 2017 - January 2018, Deputy Commander, Combined Joint Task Force - HOA, FPO, AE
16. February 2018 - September 2018, Assistant Adjutant General, Phoenix, AZ; dual-hatted, February 2018 - September 2018, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, 12th Air Force, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ
17. April 2019 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, HQ AZNG, Phoenix, Ariz.; dual-hatted, May 2021 - Present, Air National Guard Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Washington, D.C.; dual-hatted, May 2021 - May 2021, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director of Operations, J3, USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, IL
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1990 - September 1993, F-16 Mission Ready Pilot, 17th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, deployment; August 1990 - March 1991, Pilot, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, United Arab Emirates as a captain
2. March 1998 - September 2000, F-16 Assistant Director of Operations, 18th Fighter Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, deployment; January 2000 - April 2000, Pilot, Mission Director (Northern Watch), Turkey as a major
3. June 2002 - November 2005, F-16 Weapons Officer and Instructor Pilot, 192nd Fighter Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, Richmond, Virginia, deployment; September 2003 - September 2003, Pilot, Weapons Officer, Operations Iraqi Freedom, Qatar as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: F-16, F-22
Pilot wings: Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southeast Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 24, 1987
First Lieutenant Nov. 24, 1989
Captain Nov. 24, 1991
Major June 1, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel May 23, 2004
Colonel Sept. 11, 2008
Brigadier General Nov. 1, 2013
Major General Aug. 24, 2018
(Current as of April 2022)
