Photo By Maj. Wayne Clyne | Major General Michael Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon (right) congratulates...... read more read more
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SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Air National Guard Brigadier General James R. Kriesel was pro-moted to the rank of Major General Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, during a ceremony in Salem, Oregon, presided over by Major General Michael Stencel, the Adjutant General, Oregon.
As a newly appointed Major General, Kriesel is set to become the National Guard Assistant to the Commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe & Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA).
Kriesel was just two weeks out from his retirement date when this opportunity opened up for him. His extensive experiences in the joint and coalition world made him the right person for the job.
Kriesel began his career excited to fly a jet and serve his country. After serving tours flying both the A-10 Warthog and the F-15 Eagle, Kriesel sought after opportunities to serve in a more diversified role.
“I got to live out a dream to be an Air Force fighter pilot,” stated Kriesel. “As I increased levels of responsibility and rank, I found a path of excelling in the coalition and joint environment.”
To date, Kriesel has deployed 12 times to Africa and the Middle East working with joint and coalition partners over the course of his career. These experiences have developed him as a leader and shaped his belief that trust is at the center of a successful operation or mission.
“Create lots of trusts and let go. Trust your intuition and trust your soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines,” stated Kriesel. “Share success and own failures.”
Though Kriesel has deployed multiple times, his most defining moments were those in Iraq as the Senior Forward Air Force General for 4 months and his two deployments to Africa where he leads successful response missions.
His peers have described Kriesel as an authentic leader. He believes his job is to set guidance, find the right resources, take care of the bureaucratic trivia, and let people execute the mission.
“It’s a trust thing and understanding risk,” he explained. “We all make mistakes from the top down. Once this idea is put out to the force, it’s well-received and executed.”
In his promotion remarks, Kriesel highlighted his philosophy in leadership stating, “There is a misconception in leadership that the higher in rank one gets, the smarter one is – Not True. It means to speak less and listen more.”
His Special Operations experience and working with SEAL teams have reinforced Kriesel’s strong team concept. “You would be inept if you didn’t consider all input and feedback. You may go with your decision this time, but next time it might be from someone else. It’s all about the team.”
Kriesel’s career began with the dream to be a fighter pilot and to do something bigger than himself. Now, as a General Officer in an extremely dynamic environment, he continues to be driven to give back.
“There are areas you feel you can still make a difference - That’s what drives me now,” stated Kriesel. “Share my experience and give back to the next generation is a huge part of this. We only get to wear the uniform for a finite amount of time.”
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2021 10:46 |
| Story ID: | 402702 |
| Location: | SALEM, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 379 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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