BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM M. LEAHY
Brig Gen William M. Leahy is the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, United States Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), USCENTCOM.
General Leahy earned his commission in June 1997 through the Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tenn. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He then attended A-10 Replacement Training at Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Ariz. In June 2007, he completed the F-15C Transition Course at Kingsley ANGB, Klamath Falls, Ore. General Leahy has Commanded at the Squadron, Group, and State levels. General Leahy has completed numerous deployments in support of OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, OPERATION RESOLUTE SUPPORT, and OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE. General Leahy is a command pilot with over 3,500 flying hours, including 700 combat hours. Prior to his current position, the General was the Commander, Arkansas Air National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General, Air, Camp Joseph T. Robinson, North Little Rock, Ark. During this assignment, he was Dual-Hatted, as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Director of Operations, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA/A3), Ramstein AB, Germany.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Aviation Science, Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, Mass.
1997 Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2004 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2013 Master of Science, Administration Leadership, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Mich.
2015 Executive Business Seminar, Darden School, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2016 Senior Development Education, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship, Deutsche Bank, London, United Kingdom
2019 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Norfolk, Va.
2019 Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Seminar
2021 Regional Seminar - Africa, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2023 Joint Task Force Commander Course, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2024 Dual Status Commanders Course, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2024 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations course, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1992 - March 1997, A-10 Crew Chief, 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes, Air National Guard Base, Mass.
2. April 1997 - June 1997, Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tenn.
3. August 1997 - August 1998, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
4. September 1998 - January 1999, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
5. February 1999 - July 1999, A-10 RTU, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
6. August 1999 - December 2003, Electronic Combat Officer, Chief of Training, 131FS, Barnes ANGB, Mass.
7. January 2004 - June 2004, Weapons Instructor Course Student, 66WPS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. July 2004 - January 2007, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 131FS, Barnes ANGB, Mass.
9. February 2007 - July 2007, F-15 RTU Student, 173FW, Kingsley ANGB, Ore.
10. August 2007 - March 2010, Flight Commander, Barnes ANGB, Mass.
11. April 2010 - July 2010, A-10 RTU Barksdale AFB, La.
12. August 2010 - May 2012, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 163FS, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind.
13. June 2012 - June 2013, Air National Guard Director’s Strategic Studies Group, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2013 - September 2013, Chief of Scheduling and Training, 163FS, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind.
15. October 2013 - April 2015, Squadron Commander, 163FS, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind. (October 2014-April 2015, Squadron Commander, 163EFS, Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait)
16. May 2015 - June 2016, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship, Deutsche Bank, London, United Kingdom
17. July 2016 - April 2017, Command Pilot, 122FW, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind.
18. May 2017 - August 2021, Commander, 122nd Operations Group, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind. (April 2018-July 2018, 451st Air Expeditionary Group Deputy Commander, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan) (March 2021-September 2021, HAF/A57, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.)
19. September 2021 - December 2022, Director, A58, JFHQ, Indianapolis, Ind. (Apr 2022-May 2022, EUCOM Control Center – Ukraine, Stuttgart, GE)
20. December 2022 - Present, Commander, Arkansas Air National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General, Air, Camp Joseph T. Robinson, North Little Rock, Ark.; dual-hatted, August 2023 - Present, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director of Operations, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA/A3), Ramstein AB, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,500
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A-10A/A+/C, and F-15 A/B/C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 26, 1997
First Lieutenant June 26, 1999
Captain June 26, 2001
Major Oct. 31, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel June 16, 2013
Colonel May 2, 2017
Brigadier General Dec. 5, 2022
(Current as of December 2024)
