BRIGADIER GENERAL KEITH A. CHIKASAWA
Brig. Gen. Keith A. Chikasawa is the Assistant Adjutant General – Air, California Air National Guard, Sacramento, California. He monitors mission effectiveness and a wide range of programs and activities involving five major field-level organizations comprised of nearly 5,000 military and civilian personnel serving at ten locations within California. In this capacity, General Chikasawa serves as one of the senior Air National Guard officers responsible for providing trained, equipped, and mission-ready forces to support national defense requirements worldwide and emergency response, relief, and recovery operations throughout California.
Brig. Gen. Chikasawa is a 1991 graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University-San Diego where he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. In 1996, he joined the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard to fly C-130 tactical aircraft. Since 2003, he has deployed five times with the 146th Airlift Wing in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and NOBLE EAGLE. Brig. Gen. Chikasawa is an Advanced Airlift Tactics Training School graduate and a two-time recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award from C-130 formal courses at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.
Brig. Gen. Chikasawa is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, including 295 combat hours. He has served in various capacities at the squadron and operational level, including a joint assignment as Director of Operations for Joint Counterdrug Reconnaissance Operations. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Chikasawa was the Commander, 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, March Air Reserve Base, California.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, Calif.
1993 Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard base, Knoxville, Tenn.
2003 AATTC Night Vision Device, Armstrong Lab Instructor Course, St Joseph’s ANGB, Mo.
2005 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Safety and Accident Board President Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2019 Dual Status Commanders Course, Northern Command, Fort Carson, Colo.
2019 Joint Task Force Commander’s Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1993 - March 1994, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Enid, Okla.
2. March 1994 - September 1996, Co-Pilot, Scheduler, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, Ariz.
3. September 1996 - September 1999, Co-Pilot, Scheduler, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif.
4. September 1999 - December 2002, Operations Officer, Joint Counterdrug, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
5. December 2002 - June 2003, Chief of Training, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
6. June 2003 - February 2005, Chief of Current Operations, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
7. February 2005 - November 2006, Pilot, 146th Operations Support Flight, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
8. November 2006 - September 2011, Chief of Safety, 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
9. September 2011 - May 2012, Mobility Pilot, C-130J, 146th Operations Group, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif. (October 2011 - November 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
10. May 2012 - October 2013, Director of Operations, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
11. October 2013 - August 2018, Commander, 146th Operations Support Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif. (March 2014 - May 2014, Commander, 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Ali Al Salem, Kuwait)
12. August 2018 - September 2019, Commander, 146th Operations Group, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif. (June 2019 – November 2019, Commander, Air Expeditionary Group, Wildland Fire Fighting, AFNORTH)
13. September 2019 - March 2020, Vice Commander, 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
14. March 2020 - June 2020, Wing Commander, 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
15. June 2020 - May 2021, Wing Commander, 163d Attack Wing, March ARB, Calif.
16. March 2023 - Present, Assistant Adjutant General, HQ CA ANG, Sacramento, Calif.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000
Aircraft flown: MQ-9A, C-130J, C-130E, KC-135D/E/R, T-41, T-37 and T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Feb. 11, 1993
First Lieutenant March 4, 1995
Captain March 4, 1997
Major March 4, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel June 24, 2011
Colonel Sept. 20, 2018
Brigadier General March 2, 2023
(Current as of July 2024)
