Michael E. Conley

Michael E. Conley
BornGeneva, New York, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1996–present
RankLieutenant General
CommandsAir Force Special Operations Command
1st Special Operations Wing
58th Operations Support Squadron
AwardsAir Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)

Michael Edward Conley[1] is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who has served as the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command since July 2, 2024.[2] Conley most recently served as the director of operations of the Air Force Special Operations Command from 2023 to 2024. He also served as the director of strategic plans, requirements, and programs of the Air Mobility Command from 2022 to 2023, and as the deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command from 2020 to 2022.[3][4] Prior to that, he was commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force from 2018 to 2020.[5]

Conley was born and raised in Geneva, New York. He was commissioned to the U.S. Air Force in May 1996 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy.[5] He also completed pilot training in 1998, and since then, has flown the UH-1N and MH-53 helicopters, and the CV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft. Also during his Air Force career, Conley served as special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 2005, he was named Air Force Special Operations Pilot of the Year. Conley holds three master's degrees, including a degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.[4]

  1. ^ https://s3.amazonaws.com/usafayearbooks/1996.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ Bell, Lucelia (July 1, 2024). "Conley promoted to lieutenant general ahead of AFSOC change of command". Air Force Special Operations Command. Hurlburt Field, Florida: Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Erwin, Sandra (January 31, 2020). "Air Force Special Operations Command officer named to senior post in U.S. Space Force". SpaceNews. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Thompson, Jim (February 2, 2020). "Hurlburt commander promoted, given Space Force job". Northwest Florida Daily News. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Brigadier General Michael Conley". Vandenberg Air Force Base. July 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.