National Guard

Gen Joseph L. Lengyel is the 28th Chief of the National Guard Bureau. As Chief, he ensures nearly 450,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and the Air Force.

Prior to his current assignment, General Lengyel served as the Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau.

General Lengyel was commissioned in 1981 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at University of North Texas. He served in various operational and staff assignments, primarily as an F-16 Instructor Pilot and Weapons Officer. His experience in the F-16 includes tours in Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, United States Air Forces in Europe and the Texas Air National Guard. He has commanded a fighter squadron, operations group, air expeditionary group and the Air National Guard Readiness Center. General Lengyel is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours primarily in the F-16.  Additionally, General Lengyel served as the Senior United States Defense Official; Chief, Office of Military Cooperation; and Defense Attaché, Cairo, United States Central Command, Cairo, Egypt.

• 1981 Bachelor's degree in chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton 1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
• 1988 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. 1994 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
• 2001 Air War College, by correspondence
• 2008 National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y.
• 2009 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
• 2010 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
• 2010 Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, Cambridge, Mass.
• 2011 University of Tennessee, Master of Business Administration, Knoxville
• 2015 Leadership at the Peak, Colorado Springs, CO
• 2016 Pinnacle, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
• 2016 Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, General and Flag Officers homeland Security Executive Seminar, Cambridge, Mass.

1. March 1982 - March, 1983, Student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. March 1983 - May 1983, Student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
3. May 1983 - January 1984, Student, F-16 upgrade training, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
4. January 1984 - April 1986, Instructor Pilot, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
5. April 1986 - April 1987, Instructor Pilot Flight Examiner, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
6. April 1987 - June 1987, F-16C conversion training, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
7. June 1987 - September 1991, Instructor Pilot, and Chief of Weapons, 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
8. September 1991 - September 1996, Instructor Pilot Flight Examiner and Weapons Officer, 182nd Fighter Squadron, Texas Air National Guard, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
9. September 1996 - June 1997, Commander, 149th Operations Support Flight, 149th Operations Group, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
10. June 1997 - October 1998, Operations Officer, 182nd Fighter Squadron, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
11. October 1998 - October 1999, Commander, 182nd Fighter Squadron, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
12. October 1999 - February 2002, Commander, 149th Operations Group, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
13. February 2002 - June 2004, Vice Commander, 149th Fighter Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
14. June 2004 - September 2004, Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
15. September 2004 - September 2006, Air National Guard Advisor to Commander, United States Air Force in Europe
16. September 2006 - September 2008, Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
17. September 2008 - June, 2009, Deputy Director, Air National Guard, Arlington, Va., and Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
18. June 2009 - July 2010, Military Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2010 - June 2011, Vice Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
20. June 2011 - August 2012, Senior U.S. Defense Official; Chief, Office of Military Cooperation and Defense Attaché, Cairo, U.S. Central Command, Cairo, Egypt
21. August 2012 – August 2016, Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.
22. August 2016 – present, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.

1. June 2011 - August 2012, Senior United States Defense Official; Chief, Office of Military Cooperation and Defense Attaché, Cairo, U.S. Central Command, Cairo Egypt, as a major general
2. August 2012 – August 2016, Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia, as a lieutenant general
3. August 2016 - present, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, District of Columbia, as a general

• Rating: command pilot
• Flight hours: more than 3,000
• Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38 and F-16

• Defense Distinguished Service Medal
• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters Bronze Star Medal
• Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Air Medal
• Aerial Achievement Medal
• Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service star
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
• Air Force Overseas Ribbon (Short)
• Air Force Overseas Ribbon (Long) with oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
• Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with seven oak leaf clusters)
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one Silver Hourglass Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze star Air Force Training Ribbon

• 1983 Distinguished graduate, undergraduate pilot training 2009 Maj. Gen. I.G. Brown Command Excellence Award Multiple civilian pilot ratings, including Airline Transport Pilot

• Second Lieutenant Dec. 21, 1981
• First Lieutenant Dec. 21, 1983
• Captain Dec. 21, 1985
• Major Dec. 13, 1994
• Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 23, 1998
• Colonel Sept. 18, 2002
• Brigadier General Sept. 26, 2008
• Major General April 1, 2011
• Lieutenant General Aug. 18, 2012
• General Aug. 3, 2016

(Current as of August 2016)