Colonel MICHAEL P. BURNS

Col. Michael P. Burns is the Mobilization Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. SAF/MR is responsible for the oversight of manpower, military and civilian personnel, Reserve Component affairs and readiness support for the Department of the Air Force, Pentagon. As the Mobilization Assistant, he serves as the senior reserve advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for strategic level, long range personnel and manpower issues for the Air Force Reserve.

Col. Burns was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 415 at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., in August 1991. He has served in a broad variety of career fields and duty statuses on active duty, as a traditional reservist, an Air Reserve Technician, an Active Guard and Reserve member, and as an Individual Mobilization Assistant. He has a solid foundation in Leadership and Manpower, Personnel, and Services and has commanded a Mission Support Squadron and two Mission Support Groups, as well as serving on two staff level Director assignments. Additionally, Colonel Burns has deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Prior to his current assignment, Col. Burns was the Deputy Director of Personnel, Office of Air Force Reserve, where he was responsible for Total Force policy development and guidance, prepared input for legislative initiatives and congressional testimony, and facilitated the integration of personnel policies within the Air Force and across DoD.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
1997 Masters of Business Administration, Chapman University, Orange, Calif.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Air University
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Air University
2008 Air War College, Air University
2010 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va
2013 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Wash D.C.
2018 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2022 Leadership Decision Making, Kennedy School Executive Education Program, Harvard University, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1991 - September 1993, Financial Analyst, Headquarters Civil Air Patrol, Maxwell Air AFB, Ala.
2. September 1993 - May 1995, Cost Analyst, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
3. May 1995 - November 1995, Budget Analyst, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
4. November 1995 - July 1997, Deputy Chief of Program Control, Defense Support Program, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
5. September 1997 - May 2002, Chief of Financial Management, 934th Airlift Wing, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minneapolis, Minn.
6. May 2002 - May 2004, Wing Executive Officer, 934th Airlift Wing, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minneapolis, Minn.
7. May 2004 - January 2007, Commander, 315th Mission Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
(April 2006 – September 2006, Section Commander, 379 EMXS, Al Udeid Air base, Qatar)
8. January 2007 – July 2012, Commander, 302nd Mission Support Group, Peterson AFB, Colo.
(October 2008 – June 2009, Deputy Group Commander, 407 AEG, Ali Base, Iraq)
9. July 2012-May 2014, Commander, 934th Mission Support Group, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Air Reserve Station, Minneapolis, Minn.
10. May 2014 - May 2017, Director, Assignments and Force Development, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
11. June 2017 – January 2020, Director, Reserve of the Air Force Selection Board Secretariat, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
12. January 2019 – December 2021, Deputy Director of Personnel, Office of Air Force Reserve, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. December 2021 – present, Mobilization Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze Stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air and Space Overseas Ribbon
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air and Space Longevity Service Award with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Force Reserve Medal with two Hourglass Devices and two "M" devices
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air and Space Training Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 14, 1991
First Lieutenant Sept. 14, 1993
Captain Sept. 14, 1995
Major May 6, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 18, 2006
Colonel March 2, 2011

(Current as of July 2022)