Lt. Gen. Luke Ahmann is the Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region; Commander, 1st Air Force (U.S. Air Forces Northern and U.S. Air Forces Space), Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. As the Combined/Joint Force Air Component Commander, he is responsible for planning and conducting air defense and air sovereignty operations in the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; supporting the deployment, sustainment and redeployment of U.S. Air Forces in support of U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Space Command; providing Defense Support of Civil Authorities; executing Theater Security Cooperation with partner nations; and planning and executing contingency support operations for NASA human space flight programs. He ensures Civil Air Patrol is organized, trained and equipped to fulfill Air Force assigned missions; the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center executes inland search and rescue coordination; the Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness deploys and sustains Air Force Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers; and Detachment 3 (Patrick Space Force Base, Florida) effectively trains Department of Defense personnel for the rescue, recovery, retrieval, and worldwide support of NASA’s human space flight programs.
Lt. Gen. Ahmann received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1993. Prior to his current position, he served as Deputy Director, Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, and the Acting Director of Air National Guard Plans, Programs and Requirements for the National Guard Bureau, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Lt. Gen. Ahmann previously served as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy and Plans at both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Central Command. He has also served in multiple squadron, group, wing and staff capacities and commanded an F-16 fighter squadron and maintenance group.
Lt. Gen. Ahmann is a command pilot with over 2,500 flight hours, including 325 combat hours, and extensive aerospace control alert experience in Operation Noble Eagle. He served in five combat deployments supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and commanded a theater security package to Republic of Korea. Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Ahmann served as Director, Programs and Requirements, National Guard Bureau and acting Vice Chief National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1994 Lieutenant Professional Development Program, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
1997 Master of Business Administration, Management, Bentley University, Mass.
1998 United States Air Force Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 National Security Fellowship, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2013 LEAN/Six Sigma Green Belt Certification, Thayer Engineering School, Dartmouth College, N.H.
2014 University of Tennessee Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, Executive Leadership Course, 158th Fighter Wing, Vt.
2015 Air National Guard Commander’s Development Course, Andrews AFB, Md.
2015 Senior Leader Mission Generation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Distinguished Certificate-General Management, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2019 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Learning, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2020 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2021 Air Force Senior Leader Orientation Course, Flatter Inc., Arlington, Va.
2021 National Security Management Course, The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Policy, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2022 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2022 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, The Airlie House, Warrenton, Va.
2023 CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2023 Senior Executives in National and International Security Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 United States Air Force Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2024 Disruptive Technology Course, National Intelligence University, Bethesda, Md.
2024 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1993–January 1997, Granite Sentry Deputy Program Manager, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
2. January 1997–March 1998, Electromagnetic Compatibility Project Manager, Joint Spectrum Center, Annapolis, Md.
3. March 1998–September 1999, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. September 1999–December 1999, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
5. January 2000–May 2000, F-16 Student, 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, Tucson, Ariz.
6. June 2000–April 2001, F-16 Pilot, 134th Fighter Squadron, South Burlington, Vt.
7. April 2001–July 2002, Assistant Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 134th FS, South Burlington, Vt.
8. August 2002–September 2003, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 134th FS, South Burlington, Vt.
9. October 2003–October 2005, Detachment Vice Commander, 158th Aerospace Control Alert Detachment, Shaw AFB, S.C.
10. November 2005–June 2007, Assistant Director of Operations and Fighter Enhancement Program Manager, 134th FS, South Burlington, Vt.
11. June 2007–February 2009, Director of Operations, 134th FS, South Burlington, Vt.
12. February 2009–April 2011, Commander, 134th FS, South Burlington, Vt.
13. April 2011–July 2011, Assistant to Commander, 158th Operations Group, South Burlington, Vt.
14. July 2011–June 2012, National Security Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
15. July 2012–March 2014, Chief of Wing Plans and Inspector General, 158th FW, South Burlington, Vt. (February 2014–October 2014, Strategic Analyst, National Guard Bureau, Andrews AFB, Md.)
16. March 2014–March 2015, Director of Plans and Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Colchester, Vt.
17. April 2015–June 2016, Commander, 158th Maintenance Group, South Burlington, Vt.
18. June 2016–July 2017, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Colchester, Vt. (July 2016–January 2017, Air Reserve Component Advisor (Forward) to U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
19. August 2017–July 2018, Air National Guard Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters, United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. July 2018–April 2019, Chief, Design Blueprint Division, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability and Chief, Air National Guard AFWIC Division, Plans, Programs and Requirements, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21. April 2019–June 2021, Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy, and Plans (DJ5), North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
22. June 2021–December 2022, Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (DJ5), United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla. (November 2022–January 2023, Acting Director, Air National Guard Plans, Programs and Requirements, National Guard Bureau, Joint Base Andrews, Md.)
23. January 2023–August 2023, Deputy Director, Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
24. August 2023–August 2024, Director, Programs and Requirements, National Guard Bureau (NGB-J8), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
25. August 2024–October 2024, Special Assistant to Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va. (acting Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau)
26. October 2024–present, Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern and Air Forces Space) and Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2019–June 2021, Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy, and Plans (DJ5), North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., as a brigadier general
2. June 2021–December 2022, Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (DJ5), United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a brigadier general
3. August 2023–August 2024, Director, Requirements and Programming, National Guard Bureau (NGB-J8), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major general
4. August 2024-September 2024, Special Assistant to Chief, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va. (acting Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau) as a major general
5. October 2024–present, Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern and Air Forces Space) and Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500 hours including 325 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38 and F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1994 Computer Resources Acquisition Course, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
1994 Acquisition Fundamentals Course, Lowry AFB, Colo.
1997 Program Management, Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP), Level I
1997 Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering (APDP), Level I
(Current as of October 2024)