Major General SEAN M. CHOQUETTE
Maj. Gen. Sean M. Choquette is dual hatted as the Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, and Commander, Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He develops, executes and evaluates all Air and Space Forces’ aviation, space, weapons and occupational safety programs to safeguard Airmen and Guardians and preserve combat capability. Additionally, he directs research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention, oversees mishap investigations, evaluates corrective actions and ensures implementation. Finally, he manages, develops and directs all safety and risk management courses.
Maj. Gen. Choquette graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1993 and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flying hours and has flown 300 deployed combat and combat support hours in support of operations Uphold Democracy, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. Brig.Gen.Choquette commanded at the company, squadron, group and wing levels and served in staff assignments at Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces Central, Headquarters Air Force, and U.S. Embassy Baghdad.
Prior to his current position, he served as the Vice Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern).
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1994 Army Aviation Officer Basic Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1998 Army Air Defense Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Fort Bliss, Texas
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Arts, International Relations, Salve Regina University, R.I.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2017 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Higher Command and Staff Course, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham
2021 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Keenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2021 Latin and South America Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1993–September 1994, Student Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. October 1994–January 1996, Assault Platoon Leader, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
3. February 1996–January 1997, Battalion Intelligence Officer (S-2), 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
4. February 1997–July 1997, Battalion Operations Officer, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
5. July 1997–February 1998, Flight Operations Officer, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
6. March 1998–July 1998, Air Defense Artillery Officers Advanced Course, Fort Bliss, Texas
7. July 1998–September 1999, Assistant Brigade Ops Officer, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Hanau, Germany
8. October 1999–September 2001, Company Commander, C/2-501st Aviation Regiment, Hanau, Germany
9. October 2001–December 2003, Chief of Tactics, 305th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
10. January 2004–July 2005, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 55th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
11. August 2005–June 2006, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 563rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. July 2006–June 2008, HH-60 Functional Area Manager, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. July 2008–May 2009, Director of Operations, 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
14. May 2009–May 2011, Commander, 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
15. June 2011–June 2012, Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. August 2012–June 2013, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
17. June 2013–May 2015, Commander, 563d Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
18. June 2015–June 2016, Chief, Security Assistance, Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq
19. July 2016–June 2017, Special Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force International Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. June 2017–June 2019, Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
21. June 2019–June 2020, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
22. June 2020–April 2021, Director of Operations, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
23. May 2021–July 2023, Vice Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
24. August 2023–present, Chief of Safety/Commander, Department of the Air Force/Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2015–June 2016, Chief, Security Assistance, Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, as a colonel
2. June 2019–June 2020, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flying Hours: 2,800
Aircraft Flown: HH-60G, UH-60A/L, EH-60A, UH-1H and HC-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Operation Inherent Resolve Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29,1993
First Lieutenant May 29, 1995
Captain June 1, 1997
Major March 25, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2008
Colonel Oct. 1, 2013
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2020
Prior to his current position, he served as the Vice Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern).
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1994 Army Aviation Officer Basic Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1998 Army Air Defense Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Fort Bliss, Texas
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Arts, International Relations, Salve Regina University, R.I.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2017 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Higher Command and Staff Course, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham
2021 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Keenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2021 Latin and South America Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1993–September 1994, Student Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. October 1994–January 1996, Assault Platoon Leader, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
3. February 1996–January 1997, Battalion Intelligence Officer (S-2), 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
4. February 1997–July 1997, Battalion Operations Officer, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
5. July 1997–February 1998, Flight Operations Officer, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y.
6. March 1998–July 1998, Air Defense Artillery Officers Advanced Course, Fort Bliss, Texas
7. July 1998–September 1999, Assistant Brigade Ops Officer, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Hanau, Germany
8. October 1999–September 2001, Company Commander, C/2-501st Aviation Regiment, Hanau, Germany
9. October 2001–December 2003, Chief of Tactics, 305th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
10. January 2004–July 2005, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 55th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
11. August 2005–June 2006, Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, 563rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. July 2006–June 2008, HH-60 Functional Area Manager, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. July 2008–May 2009, Director of Operations, 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
14. May 2009–May 2011, Commander, 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
15. June 2011–June 2012, Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. August 2012–June 2013, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
17. June 2013–May 2015, Commander, 563d Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
18. June 2015–June 2016, Chief, Security Assistance, Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq
19. July 2016–June 2017, Special Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force International Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. June 2017–June 2019, Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
21. June 2019–June 2020, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
22. June 2020–April 2021, Director of Operations, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
23. May 2021–July 2023, Vice Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
24. August 2023–present, Chief of Safety/Commander, Department of the Air Force/Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2015–June 2016, Chief, Security Assistance, Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, as a colonel
2. June 2019–June 2020, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flying Hours: 2,800
Aircraft Flown: HH-60G, UH-60A/L, EH-60A, UH-1H and HC-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Operation Inherent Resolve Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29,1993
First Lieutenant May 29, 1995
Captain June 1, 1997
Major March 25, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2008
Colonel Oct. 1, 2013
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2020
Major General Dec. 5, 2023
(Current as of December 2023)
