General Craig R. McKinley, USAF (Ret) was chairman from 2014-2017. He previously served as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Military Adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and was the Department of Defense’s official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard.

He was President of Air Force Association (AFA) directing the association’s professional staff in all functional areas and was responsible for the management and operations of the association, which include professional development events across the country and countless aerospace educational initiatives. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and received master’s degree in management and economics at Webster College. His affiliations include: National Guard Association of the United States; National Guard Education Foundation; NDIA, AFA; K9s for Warriors, Vaughn College; ANSER Corporation; Falcon Foundation and Arrow Electronics.