McKinley received his commission in 1974 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Southern Methodist University. He served in numerous assignments in flying and operations, as well as command positions at group, wing, sector and field operating agency levels. He also served as Commander, First Air Force and Commander, Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Southeast Region, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. McKinley is a command pilot with over 4,000 flight hours, primarily in the T-38 Talon, F-106 Delta Dart, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle. Additionally, McKinley has been pilot in command in the C-131 Samaritan and C-130 Hercules Operational Support Airlift aircraft.
McKinley has his new four-star rank put on his uniform by his wife Cheryl and son Patrick during a ceremony at the Pentagon, where he was also sworn in as the 26th chief of the National Guard Bureau on Monday, Nov. 17, 2008.
December 1974 – November 1975, student, undergraduate pilot training, Moody AFB, Georgia
November 1975 – March 1977, T-38 instructor pilot, Craig AFB, Alabama
March 1977 – May 1979, equal opportunity and treatment officer, Air Force Military Training Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
May 1979 – November 1980, T-38 instructor pilot, Laughlin AFB, Texas
November 1980 – April 1986, F-106 alert pilot, 125th Fighter Interceptor Group, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida.
April 1986 – June 1987, Chief of Safety, 125th Fighter Interceptor Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida
June 1987 – April 1989, F-16 instructor pilot, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida.
April 1989 – May 1990, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida
May 1990 – May 1991, Deputy Commander for Operations, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida
May 1991 – May 1994, Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida
May 1994 – June 1995, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
June 1995 – March 1996, Commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Jacksonville ANGB, Florida
March 1996 – July 1996, Air National Guard Vice Commander, Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall AFB, Florida
July 1996 – January 1998, Commander, Southeast Air Defense Sector, Tyndall AFB, Florida
January 1998 – February 2001, Deputy Director, Air National Guard, Arlington, Virginia, and Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, Maryland
March 2001 – July 2002, Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
August 2002 – October 2004, Commander, 1st Air Force (1 AF) of Air Combat Command, and Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall AFB, Florida.
November 2004 – November 2005, Director, Mobilization and Reserve Affairs Directorate, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
November 2005 – May 2006, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
May 2006 – November 2008, Director, Air National Guard, Arlington, Virginia
November 2008 – September 2012, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
This article incorporates public domain material from General Craig R. McKinley biography. United States Air Force.
