Maj. Gen. Kerry L. Muehlenbeck is the Adjutant General of Arizona and Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, at Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Phoenix, Arizona. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of Arizona's Army and Air National Guard, Joint Programs, and the Division of Emergency Management. She leads an 8,300-member department, of which 2,400 are fulltime federal military and civilian personnel, and 600 are fulltime state employees.
General Muehlenbeck received her commission by direct appointment in 1992. She remained on active duty for four years where she served as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona until her separation in 1997. General Muehlenbeck then joined the Arizona Air National Guard in 1997 and served as both a wing-level and headquarters staff judge advocate. In addition, she held various national level judge advocate billets, to include Director of the Contemporary Base Issues Course, State Headquarters Liaison to The Judge Advocate General's Air National Guard Council, and Air National Guard Assistant to the Command Staff Judge Advocate, Pacific Air Forces. She has contributed articles for the Air National Guard Commander's Legal Deskbook and lectured at various Air Force and Air National Guard courses. Prior to her current position, the general was the Deputy Adjutant General and Director of Administrative Services, Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Phoenix, Arizona.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
1992 Juris Doctorate, Law, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Ind.
1997 Master of Laws (LL.M.), Criminal Law, University of San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by seminar
2010 Doctor of Philosophy, Justice Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
2015 Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Training, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
2022 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2024 National Security Studies Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1993 - January 1997, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Ariz.
2. January 1997 - September 1997, Obligated Reserve, Air Force Reserve Personnel Center, Lowry AFB, Colo.
3. October 1997 - September 2002, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Ariz.
4. September 2002 - January 2005, Staff Judge Advocate, Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Ariz.
5. January 2005 - July 2013, Staff Judge Advocate, Arizona Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Ariz.
6. July 2013 - December 2013, Air National Guard Assistant to the Pacific Air Forces Staff Judge Advocate, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
7. December 2013 - February 2014, Deputy Director, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
8. February 2014 - January 2018, Joint Task Force Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
9. January 2018 - February 2019, Deputy Adjutant General and Director of Administrative Services, Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
10. April 2021 - Present, The Adjutant General, Arizona National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Major General Robert I. Gruber Excellence in Teaching Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant July 28, 1991
Captain July 28, 1993
Major Oct. 25, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 17, 2002
Colonel April 29, 2008
Brigadier General June 24, 2016
Major General July 23, 2021
(Current as of March 2025)