Brig. Gen. Mike “3M” Moeding is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The Expeditionary Center is the Air Force's preeminent authority for expeditionary operations and supports Air Mobility Command’s worldwide mission of providing rapid global mobility to America’s armed forces. With more than 14,000 Airmen, the Expeditionary Center is comprised of the Air Force Expeditionary Operations School, five AMC wings, and two stand-alone groups, including 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, 87th Air Base Wing, 628th Air Base Wing, 621st Contingency Response Wing, 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group, and 627th Air Base Group. These units span the globe operating 24/7 in 42 locations across 24 countries providing global air mobility support, installation support, contingency response, and building partnership capacity.
After commissioning through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Brig. Gen. Moeding was assigned to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, as a flying squadron Adjutant and Operations Management Officer. He later accepted a pilot position with the Air Force Reserve and went on to become a KC-135R Instructor and Evaluator Pilot. He advanced rapidly through numerous leadership positions as both a company and field grade officer culminating as a flying squadron director of operations. As a lieutenant colonel, he was selected to lead as an Operations Group Commander at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He has also led as a Director of Staff and Reserve Advisor on the Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Air Staff at the Pentagon. Brig. Gen. Moeding served as the Joint Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7) and Air Force Reserve Advisor to the Combatant Commander, Headquarters, United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, where he became a level-III Joint Qualified Officer. As Director of Mobility Forces, he led the Mobility Air Forces’ efforts during the full combat forces retrograde from Afghanistan and resultant non-combatant evacuation operation in 2021. He has served on active duty and as an Air Force Reserve Traditional Reservist, Air Reserve Technician, Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Active Guard/Reserve, and now as a Mobilization Assistant. Brig. Gen. Moeding is a combat veteran of Operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Desert Strike, Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Unified Protector, Inherent Resolve, Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield, and NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. He has amassed approximately 5,250 military flight hours and flown nearly 900 hours in combat in both the KC-135 and C-130 totaling over 150 combat missions.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Moeding was the Vice Commander (DCOM), Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, California, where he led nearly 34,000 combat ready Airmen in AFRC’s largest numbered air force with 18 wings and one group. In his civilian capacity, Brig Gen Moeding is a pilot with a major U.S. global airline.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science; Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
2001 Squadron Officer School; Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College; Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (non-res)
2004 Master of Science; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla.
2011 Leadership, Today & Tomorrow Seminar; AFRC Professional Development Center, course held in Washington, D.C.
2012 Air War College; Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (non-res)
2012 Safety and Accident Investigation Board President Course; Ira C. Eaker Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Reserve Component National Security Course; National Defense University, Ft. Leslie McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (now JCWS-H); Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2017 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Senior Officer Policy Course; The NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2017 Director of Mobility Forces Course; USAF Expeditionary School, Hurlburt Field, Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.
2017 Enterprise Leadership Seminar; Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2018 Leading Strategically Program; Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2019 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Senior Reserve Officer Course; The NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2021 China, USINDOPACOM, and the Far East Seminar; Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 Leadership Decision Making Course; John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 Enterprise Perspective Seminar; Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Sept 1993 - Aug 1995; Adjutant/Section Commander, 384th and 349th Air Refueling Squadrons, McConnell AFB, Kan.
2. Aug 1995 - Jan 1997; Current Operations Mission Scheduler, 22d Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
3. Jan 1997 - April 1998; Student Pilot, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. April 1998 - April 2000; Mission Development Officer, KC-135R/T Pilot, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
5. April 2000 - July 2002; Executive Officer, KC-135R/T Aircraft Commander, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
6. Aug 2002 - April 2005; Asst. Chief Pilot, KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
7. May 2005 - Sept 2006; Chief, Long Range Mission Development, 931st Operations Support Flt, McConnell AFB, Kan.
8. Oct 2006 - Aug 2008; Chief, Current Operations, 931st Operations Support Flt, McConnell AFB, Kan.
9. Sept 2008 - Dec 2009; Chief, Operations Plans, 931st Operations Support Flt, McConnell AFB, Kan.
10. April 2009 - Dec 2009; Director of Operations, KC-135R/T Evaluator Pilot, 931st Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
11. Jan 2010 - July 2013; Director of Operations (ART O&T), 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
12. Aug 2012 - Nov 2012; Commander, 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Republic of Turkey
13. July 2013 - Jan 2014; Deputy Group Commander for Operations, 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell AFB, Kan.
14. Jan 2014 - Nov 2015; Commander, 459th Operations Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
15. Nov 2015 - Sept 2017; Chief of Staff, Directorate of Strategic Plans (AF/A8X), and Reserve Advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements (AF/A5/8), HQ USAF, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. Sept 2017 - Feb 2020; Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7) and Air Force Reserve Advisor to the Combatant Commander, HQ USEUCOM, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
17. March 2020 - Dec 2021; Vice Commander (DCOM), (July 2020 - Oct 2020; Commander) 302d Airlift Wing, Peterson SFB, Colo.
18. Feb 2021 - July 2021; Director of Mobility Forces, HQ USAFCENT (fwd), Al Udeid AB, Qatar
19. Dec 2021 - April 2023; Vice Commander (DCOM), (Aug 2022- Oct 2022; Commander) Fourth Air Force, March ARB, Calif.
20. April 2023 - Present; Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Sept 2017 - Feb 2020; Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7), HQ USEUCOM, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Military Flight Hours: 5,250, including nearly 900 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-3A, T-37B, T-1A, KC-135R/T/RT, C-130H2/3, A-319/320, B-737-NG/MAX, B-787
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Schützenschnur III (gold) der Bundeswehr, Deutschland
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 14, 1993
First Lieutenant, July 19, 1995
Captain, April 20, 1998
Major, May 6, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel, October 1, 2008
Colonel, March 12, 2014
Brigadier General, January 31, 2024
Current as of February 2024