Michael T. Plehn

Michael T. Plehn
Born1964 (age 61–62)
Branch
United States Air Force
Service years
1988–2024
Rank
Lieutenant General
Commands
Conflicts
Gulf War
Awards

Michael Todd Plehn (born 1964) is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the 17th president of the National Defense University from 2021 to 2024.[1][2][3] He previously served as deputy commander of the United States Southern Command from 2018 to 2020. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.[4][5]

Education

Michael Plehn graduated from Miami Southridge High School in 1983, he then attended the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs where he graduated with military distinction and received a bachelor degree in Astronautical Engineering in 1988. He holds a Masters degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College , Masters of Aerospace Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Masters of Airpower Art and Science from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies.[6][7][8]

Career

From August 1990 until November 1994, Plehn was an Electronic Warfare Officer on the AC-130 Gunship at the 16th Special Operations Squadron, where he remained until July 1997 when he took on the role as Aide-de-camp to the Commander at the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). In 2000, Plehn moved to the Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington as Team Chief of the Global Engagement of the Directorate of Strategic Planning and he was the Air Staff in Strategy and Policy as well as the speechwriter for the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff in 2001. In 2006 and 2007, he was the Chief Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. He served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Middle East Policy from 2013 to 2015.Until 2018, he was the Deputy Commander for Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Florida.[7][8][6] He is the President of Plehn & Associated LLC.[3] In February 2021, Plehn was appointed the 17th president of the National Defense University (NDU) succeeding Vice Admiral Frederick J. Roegge.[2] He was the Military Deputy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). As such, Plehn participated in the Colombia-U.S Exercise Vita which took place in March 2020 in the Guajira Peninsula in Columbia.[9] In March 2023, Plehn and Dr. Robert Egnell published an article in PRISM entitled "If You Want Peace…".[10]

Awards and decorations

Air Force Master Navigator Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters
Gallant Unit Citation
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze star
 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Medal for Distinguished Service to the Colombian Military Forces[11]
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Effective dates of promotion

Rank[4]Date
Second LieutenantJune 1, 1988
First LieutenantJune 1, 1990
CaptainJune 1, 1992
MajorAugust 1, 1998
Lieutenant ColonelMay 1, 2001
ColonelAugust 1, 2005
Brigadier GeneralJuly 22, 2011
Major GeneralMay 5, 2014
Lieutenant GeneralOctober 22, 2018
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References

  1. ↑ "Retirement Ceremony in honor of Lt. Gen. Michael T. Plehn, USAF". Vimeo Livestream. National Defense University. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  2. 1 2 "NDU Welcomes 17th President". National Defense University. Archived from the original on 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  3. 1 2 "Global and National Security Institute". www.usf.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  4. 1 2 "Lieutenant General Michael T. Plehn (USAF)". U.S. Air Force. July 30, 2021. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Lt. Gen. Michael T. Plehn". U.S. Southern Command. November 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20.
  6. 1 2 "Michael T. Plehn". Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  7. 1 2 "LIEUTENANT GENERAL MICHAEL T. PLEHN" (PDF). Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  8. 1 2 "2024 NDU Graduation Program" (PDF). Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  9. ↑ "U.S. SOUTHCOM Fights Through COVID-19". Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  10. ↑ "If You Want Peace..." Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  11. ↑ "Lieutenant General Michael T. Plehn, USAF".


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