Michael T. Plehn

Michael T. Plehn
File:Lt Gen Michael T. Plehn (4).jpg
Born	1964 (age 60–61)
Service / branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1988–2024
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	National Defense University 1st Special Operations Wing 27th Operations Group 19th Special Operations Squadron
Battles / wars	Gulf War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal

Michael Todd Plehn (born 1964) is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the 17th president of the National Defense University from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as deputy commander of the United States Southern Command from 2018 to 2020. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.

Awards and decorations

File:COMMAND PILOT WINGS.pngFile:United States Air Force Navigator Observer Badge.svg	Air Force Master Navigator Badge
File:United States Air Force Parachutist Badge.svg	Basic Parachutist Badge
File:Joint Chiefs of Staff seal (2).svg	Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
File:Office of the Secretary of Defense identification badge.svg	Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

File:Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
File:Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
File:US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges	Legion of Merit
File:Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg	Bronze Star Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster File:Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg	Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.File:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
File:Air Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
File:Aerial Achievement Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
File:Air Force Commendation ribbon.svg	Air Force Commendation Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster File:Air Force Achievement ribbon.svg	Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
File:Joint Meritorious Unit Award (USMC and USN frame).svgFile:Silver oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters
File:Gallant Unit Citation ribbon.svg	Gallant Unit Citation
Bronze oak leaf cluster File:Air Force Meritorious Unit ribbon.svg	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
File:Outstanding Unit ribbon.svgFile:"V" device, brass.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and three oak leaf clusters
File:Organizational Excellence ribbon.svg	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
File:Combat Readiness Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
File:Air Force Good Conduct ribbon.svg	Air Force Good Conduct Medal
File:Air Force Recognition Ribbon.svg	Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Bronze star Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze star File:Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Bronze star File:Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg	Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
File:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
File:Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
File:Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg	Armed Forces Service Medal
File:Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg	Humanitarian Service Medal
File:AF OS Tour Ribbon.svg	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
File:Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame.pngFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame and two oak leaf clusters
File:Longevity Service Award USAF.svgFile:Silver oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg	Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
File:USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
File:Air Force Training Ribbon.svg	Air Force Training Ribbon
File:Dist Medal Col Armed Forces.jpg	Medal for Distinguished Service to the Colombian Military Forces
File:NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg	NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia
File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Effective dates of promotion

Rank	Date
File:US Air Force O1 shoulderboard rotated.svg Second Lieutenant	June 1, 1988
File:US Air Force O2 shoulderboard rotated.svg First Lieutenant	June 1, 1990
File:US Air Force O3 shoulderboard rotated.svg Captain	June 1, 1992
File:US Air Force O4 shoulderboard rotated.svg Major	August 1, 1998
File:US Air Force O5 shoulderboard rotated.svg Lieutenant Colonel	May 1, 2001
File:US Air Force O6 shoulderboard rotated.svg Colonel	August 1, 2005
File:US Air Force O7 shoulderboard rotated.svg Brigadier General	July 22, 2011
File:US Air Force O8 shoulderboard rotated.svg Major General	May 5, 2014
File:US Air Force O9 shoulderboard rotated.svg Lieutenant General	October 22, 2018