BRIGADIER GENERAL JOSEPH F. MORRISSEY JR

Brig. Gen. Joseph F. Morrissey Jr. is the Chief of Staff and Air Component Commander, Massachusetts Air National Guard. He is the principal advisor to The Adjutant General and Land Component Commander in the administration, coordination, planning, development and execution of all Air National Guard and National Guard Joint Staff programs. He ensures the preparation of the 9,000 airmen and soldiers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for contingency operations in both federal and state emergencies. He assists The Adjutant General in overseeing the Commonwealth’s Joint Homeland Defense Program to include rapid reaction forces, contingency emergency response forces, counter drug operations, civil support teams, expeditionary medical teams and explosives ordnance disposal.

General Morrissey received his engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts, and his commission from the ANG’s Academy of Military Science in June of 1995 while assigned to the 265th Combat Communication Squadron (CBCS) in South Portland, Maine. In 1997, he was transferred to the 267th CBCS to be the Squadron Engineer. As a member of the 267th/253rd, he was activated five times. Once for Operation ALLIED FORCE (OAF) Kosovo, twice for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) and twice for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). During OAF, General Morrissey taught the TDC System Class to 175 Active Duty, Guard and Reserve personnel. This provided senior leaders and engineers with a top level system view of the TDC suite of equipment. In February of 2002, he served seven months, in direct support of OEF, as a tactical engineer and managed a one-million-dollar communication upgrade for the 321st Expeditionary Communication Flight on Masirah Island Air Base, Oman. In January of 2003, General Morrissey was activated in response to OIF, serving four months overseas as the tactical engineer in support of the 387th Expeditionary Fighter Group.  He took Command of the 267th CBCS in October of 2005.  During his command, the 267th CBCS was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and received the Lt Gen Harold W. Grant Award for being the number one communication squadron in the ANG. As part of Air Expeditionary Forces 9/10 in September of 2007, General Morrissey served as the 506th Expeditionary Communication Squadron Commander at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq. At Kirkuk, he commanded 61 Airmen and 15 contractors in providing communication and air traffic control maintenance for this northern Iraqi base. In August of 2011, he took command of the 253rd Cyberspace Engineering Installations Group (CEIG). In May 2013, in support of OEF, General Morrissey deployed to Bagram AB, Afghanistan where he led 60 Joint Expeditionary Tasked Airmen in support of the US Army’s 160th Signal Brigade. During this time, his team completed over 110 cyber backbone installation projects across Afghanistan. In July of 2016, General Morrissey took commander of the 202nd Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Group. He was entrusted with the task of standing up two Cyber Intelligence Squadrons, a Support Squadron and the Group staff. Prior to his current position, General Morrissey was the Director of Cyberspace Operations for the MA ANG. General Morrissey is responsible for providing TAG and senior leadership guidance to ensure reliable communications and information technology infrastructure exists to support state and federal missions.

EDUCATION:

1993 Bachelors of Science, Electrical Engineering Technology, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Mass. (Magna Cum Laude)
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala., by correspondence
2006 Masters of Science, Telecommunications, Boston University, Boston, Mass.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Cambridge, Mass.                                                                                                                            
2023 Dual Status Commander Orientation Course, Peterson SFB, Colo.                                                               
2023 Senior Leader Orientation Course, (SLOC) Joint Base Andrews, Md.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.     September 1981-September 1985, Navigational Aid (NAVAIDS) Technician, 1916th Communications Squadron, Pease Air Force Base (AFB), N.H.
2.     April 1987-January 1989, NAVAIDS Technician, 253rd Combat Communication Group (CCGP), Wellesley Air Nation Guard Station (ANGS), Mass.
3.     January 1989-May 1995, Non-Commission Office-In-Charge (NCOIC) NAVAIDS Section, 265th Combat Communications Squadron (CBCS) Squadron, South Portland ANGS, Maine
4.     June 1995-February 1996, Engineer Officer, 265th CBCS, South Portland ANGS, Maine
5.     February 1996-April 1997, Communication Officer, 253rd CCGP, Otis Air National Guard Base (ANGB), Mass.
6.     April 1997-2005 October, Tactical Engineer, 267th CBCS, Otis ANGB, Mass. (February 2002-September 2002, Tactical Engineer, 321 Expeditionary Communication Flight on Masirah Island Air Base (AB), Oman) (January 2003-May 2003, Tactical Engineer, 387th Expeditionary Fighter Group, Classified Location)  
7.     October 2005-January 2010, Squadron Commander, 267th CBCS, Otis ANGB, Mass. (September 2007-January 2008, Squadron Commander, 506th Expeditionary Communication Squadron, Kirkuk Regional AB, Iraq)
8.     January 2010-May 2010, Director of Logistics/Resources, 253rd CCGP, Otis ANGB, Mass.
9.     May 2010-August 2011, Deputy Group Commander, 253rd CCGP, Otis ANGB, Mass.
10.   August 2011-July 2016, Group Commander, 253rd Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group, Otis ANGB, Mass. (April 2013-November 2013, EI Joint Expeditionary Tasked Airmen OIC, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
11.   July 2016-February 2018, Group Commander, 202nd Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Group, Otis ANGB, Mass.
12.   February 2018-November 2022, Director of Cyberspace Operations (A6), Joint Force Headquarters MA, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
13.   November 2022-Present, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Joint Force Headquarters MA, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
14. December 2023-Present, Chief of Staff and Air Component Commander, Massachusetts Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters MA, Hanscom AFB, Mass.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters                                                                                                   
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with gold hourglass and four ‘M’ devices
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Afghan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal
NATO Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

• Second Lieutenant June 15, 1995
• First Lieutenant June 15, 1997
• Captain June 15, 1999
• Major June 15, 2003
• Lieutenant Colonel June 15, 2007
• Colonel May 26, 2011
• Brigadier General December 3, 2022

(Current as of March 2023)