Brig. Gen. Michael D. Curry is the Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. In this role, he prepares and oversees operations for the command’s 20,000 special operations personnel and nine wings, executing missions across the globe.

Brig. Gen. Curry grew up in Edon, Ohio, and received his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 1998. Brig. Gen. Curry has served in Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Staff, Joint Staff and Air Education and Training Command assignments, commanding at the squadron, Joint Special Operations Air Component and wing level. He has deployed throughout the world, conducting special operations in Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently, Brig. Gen. Curry served as Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command. A Command Pilot, he has logged more than 3,700 flying hours in a variety of special operations aircraft.

EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, General Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Master of Science, Aerospace Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Masters of Public Administration, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Masters of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998–April 1999, Wing Scheduling Officer, 4th Operational Support Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
2. April 1999–September 1999, Student, 84th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. September 1999–June 2000, Student, VT-35, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
4. June 2000–March 2005, MC-130E Pilot and Instructor Pilot, 8th Special Operation Squadron, Duke Field, Fla.
5. March 2005–September 2005, Wing Executive Officer and MC-130E Instructor Pilot, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. September 2005–April 2009, Evaluator Pilot and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Special Operations Squadron
7. April 2009–July 2010, Aide-de-Camp, Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2010–June 2011, Student, Mid-Career Master of Public Administration, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
9. June 2011–June 2012, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2012–June 2015, Operations Officer and Commander, Special Operations Squadron
11. July 2015–June 2016, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2016–February 2017, Branch Chief, Levant and U.S. Southern Command, Deputy Director of Special Operations, J-37, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. February 2017–March 2018, Senior Executive Assistant, Director for Operations, J3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. March 2018–July 2018, Division Chief, Strategy, Plans and Policy, Deputy Director of Special Operations, J-37, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. July 2018–July 2020, Vice Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. July 2020–June 2022, Commander, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
17. July 2022–April 2024, Director, Secretary of the Air Force/Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. May 2024–May 2025, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command
19. June 2025–March 2026, Director, Mission Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Force Futures, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. April 2026–present, Director of Operations, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016–February 2017, Branch Chief, Levant and U.S. Southern Command, Deputy Director of Special Operations, J-37, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
2. February 2017–March 2018, Senior Executive Assistant, Director for Operations, J3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
3. March 2018–July 2018, Division Chief, Strategy, Plans and Policy, Deputy Director of Special Operations, J-37, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
4. May 2024–May 2025, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command, as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  command pilot
Flight hours:  more than 3,700 hours, including more than 1,200 combat hours
Aircraft flown:  T-37, C-12, C-130E, MC-130E/H/J, C-208, PC-6, BE-200, CN-235, B-90, PAC-750XL, MX-7, U-28A, UH-1N, TH-1, HH-60W, CV-22

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal

(Current as of April 2026)