BRIGADIER GENERAL MICHAEL E. CALLAHAN
Retired June 30, 2024
Brig. Gen. Michael E. Callahan was Director of the Joint Staff - Nebraska National Guard. He was principal advisor to the Adjutant General on domestic operations and responsible for the direction and control of Nebraska Army and Air National Guard forces for homeland security, civil support, international affairs, and other joint force activities.
General Callahan began his career as an infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served for one year before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. General Callahan graduated from West Point in 1987 and was commissioned as a 2LT in the Infantry. After completing Infantry Officer Basic and Ranger School he returned to the 82d Airborne where he participated in numerous deployments including operations Just Cause, Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He left active duty in 1992, attended law school, and joined the KSARNG as a Judge Advocate in 1997, where his assignments included chief trial counsel, chief defense counsel, and Command Judge Advocate for the 130th Artillery Brigade. In 2005 he transferred to the NEANG, were he served as deputy SJA and Staff Judge Advocate for the 155 ARW. In 2011 he was assigned to JFHQ-NE to become Legal Advisor to the ATAG-Air and then State Judge Advocate until his current assignment as Director of the Joint Staff.
EDUCATION
1987 Infantry Officer Basic Course, Fort Benning, Ga.
1987 Bachelor of Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
1996 Juris Doctor, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kan.
1998 Army Judge Advocate General Basic Course, Charlottesville, Va.
1999 Army Judge Advocate General Advanced Course, Charlottesville, Va.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2013 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1982 - June 1983, Rifleman, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Ft Bragg, N.C.
2. July 1983 - May 1987, Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
3. May 1987 - January 1989, Platoon Leader, 504th Para Infantry Regt, Ft Bragg, N.C.
4. January 1989 - February 1990, Scout Platoon Leader, 504th PIR, Ft Bragg, N.C.
5. February 1990 - April 1991, Aide de Campe, 82nd Airborne Division, Ft Bragg, N.C.
6. April 1991 - May 1992, Division Staff Officer, 82nd Airborne Division, Ft Bragg, N.C.
7. August 1997 - January 2001, Deputy SJA, 35th ID, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
8. January 2001 - December 2005, Command JA, 130th FA Brigade, Topeka, Kan.
9. December 2005 - October 2011, Deputy SJA/SJA, 155th ARW, NEANG, Lincoln, Neb.
10. October 2011 - October 2015, Legal Advisor to the ATAG - Air, NEANG, Lincoln, Neb.
11. October 2015 - November 2018, State Judge Advocate, NENG, Lincoln, Neb.
12. November 2018 - June 2024, Director, Joint Staff - (NE) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), Lincoln, NE
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass
Army Service Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
General Callahan is Assistant General Counsel at a publicly traded energy company. Previously, he was a senior partner at a Kansas City-based AmJur 100 law firm. He has represented clients as lead trial counsel in numerous high-dollar disputes.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1987
First Lieutenant May 27, 1989
Captain Oct. 1, 1991
Major March 24, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 14, 2007
Colonel May 22, 2014
Brigadier General Nov. 2, 2018
(Current as of September 2024)
