Major General Michael T. Rawls

Maj. Gen. Michael T. Rawls is the Commander, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Maj. Gen. Rawls reports directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff regarding the test and evaluation of more than 98 major acquisition programs valued at more than $1 trillion, which are being assessed at 17 different locations, and he directs the activities of more than 750 military, civilian and contractor personnel. As a key leader of the test and evaluation community, Maj. Gen. Rawls coordinates directly with the offices of the Secretary of Defense and Department of the Air Force while executing realistic, objective and impartial operational testing and evaluation of Air Force, Space Force, coalition, and joint warfighting capabilities.

Maj. Gen. Rawls entered the Air Force in 1992 as a distinguished graduate of the University of Kentucky, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He holds master’s degrees from The George Washington University, Air University, U.S. Army War College and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. Maj. Gen. Rawls has served in staff positions as the Junior Military Aide to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chief Air Planner, United States Military Delegation to the NATO Military Committee, Brussels, Belgium and Senior Service Lead for F-35 development, Arlington, Virginia. He has been a Squadron Commander, Vice Wing Commander, 435th Air Expeditionary Wing and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing Commander and is a four-time member of the U.S. Military Pentathlon Team. As an operational pilot, Brig Gen Rawls flew the A-10A/C and F-15C with combat mission in Iraq and is currently flying F-35A as a 5th gen aggressor pilot. As a Test Pilot, he had assignments in the A-10C, F-15C, F-16 and numerous classified platforms conducting advanced weapons development. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Rawls served as the Commandant, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

Maj. Gen. Rawls is a command pilot and has accumulated more than 2,100 hours in 30 different aircraft.