Lieutenant General Anthony G. Crutchfield began his military career in 1982 graduating from Marshall University as a Distinguished Military Graduate receiving a Regular Army commission. His first assignment was at Fort Hood, Texas, with the 7-17th Cavalry and 1-6th Cavalry as a Platoon Leader and Assistant S3. Following the Aviation Advanced Officer Course, LTG Crutchfield was assigned to the 3-227th Aviation Battalion, 3rd Armored Division in Hanau, Germany, where he commanded A Company and later served as the Battalion S3 during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After graduating from the Command and General Staff College in 1993 he served in a joint assignment and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a Battalion Executive Officer in 1-229th Aviation Regiment, and Brigade S3 and Deputy Brigade Commander in the 18th Aviation Brigade. He assumed command of 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment at Camp Page, Korea in March, 1998. Following Battalion Command in June 2000, LTG Crutchfield attended the US Army War College and upon graduation served as the Senior Aviation Trainer, Eagle Team, at Fort Irwin, California. After assuming command of the 10th Aviation Brigade at Fort Drum, NY in August 2003 he immediately deployed to Afghanistan in command of Joint Task Force Falcon. Upon leaving command LTG Crutchfield was assigned as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Commanding General for TRADOC until July 2007 when he then assumed the position of Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, US Army Accessions Command. In June 2008 he assumed the position as Director, Joint Center for Operational Analysis-Lessons Learned, United States Joint Forces Command, and Suffolk, Virginia. Following his assignment at JFCOM, he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker from August 2010 to August 2012.  From 2012 to 2014, he served as the Chief of Staff, U.S. Pacific Command and on 6 June 2014 he assumed responsibility as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. 

In addition to his military education, LTG Crutchfield has earned a Master of Arts Degree in Business from Webster University and Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Military Studies from the US Army War College.  

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion Of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. He has been awarded the Master Aviator Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Honorable Order of Saint Michael Silver Award.