Brigadier General Karen E. Mansfield
Brig. Gen. Karen E. Mansfield served as the Director, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarter, Alaska National Guard, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. As the Director of Joint Staff, she advised the Adjutant General on Air and Army issues and policies relating to Defense Support to Civil Authorities and security cooperation. General Mansfield is responsible for establishing and maintaining emergency management capacities throughout Alaska.
General Mansfield was commissioned as a distinguished graduate from Officer Training School in 1989. She has held a variety of operational Air Battle Manager assignments, to include tactical ground control, air defense and E-3 flying operations. General Mansfield also instructed at the USAF Weapons School Command and Control Division. She progressed to command within the Alaska Air National Guard, and to subsequent director-level assignments in air defense and at the state headquarters in the Washington Air National Guard.
Prior to this assignment, General Mansfield served as the Assistant Adjutant General, and also served as the Commander, Alaska Air National Guard. As commander, she ensured the training and equipping of over 2,000 Alaska citizen airmen in two flying wings. She provided airlift, rescue aerial refueling, air control, and space warning and surveillance capabilities in support of state and federal missions worldwide.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelors of Science in International Business, Illinois State University, Normal, Ill.
1994 USAF Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
1996 Squadron Officer School, in residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Masters of Science in Organizational Management, University of Phoenix, Ariz.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correpsondence
2008 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1990 - June 1991, Weapons Director, Interface Coordination Officer, 601st Tactical Control Squadron, Zweibrucken Air Base, Germany
2. July 1991 - June 1995, Senior Director, Chief of Training, Chief of Tactics, 962nd Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
3. July 1995 - May 1997, Chief Weapons and Tactics, Southeast Air Defense Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
4. June 1997 - March 2000, Instructor, Assistant Operations Officer, Officer In Charge Weapons Review Magazine, USAF Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
5. April 2000 - March 2001, Executive Officer, 176th Wing, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Alaska
6. April 2001 - May 2004, Transition Team Chief, 176th Air Control Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
7. June 2004 - February 2006, Operations Planner, Chief of Plans, 176th Wing, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Alaska
8. March 2006 - December 2010, Commander, 176th Force Support Flight, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Alaska
9. January 2011 - March 2014, Director of Support, Western Air Defense Sector, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
10. March 2014 - April 2015, Director of Staff, JFHQ-Air, Camp Murray, Wash.
11. April 2015 - February 2016, Assistant Adjutant General
12. February 2016 - March 2016, Chief of Staff
13. March 2016 - March 2016, Assistant Adjutant General
14. August 2016 - June 2018, Assistant Adjutant General, Fort Richardson, Ala,
15. July 2018 - Present, Director, Joint Staff - (AK) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), JFHQ Alaska, Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson, Alaska
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 10, 1989
First Lieutenant Aug. 10, 1991
Captain Aug. 10, 1993
Major Dec. 2, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 2, 2005
Colonel Aug. 18, 2011
Brigadier General July 20, 2016
(Current as of April 2019)
Back
