Lt. Gen. Joel Carey is the Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan. Fifth Air Force includes 15,000 Airmen across three main operating bases delivering combat-ready air superiority, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, rapid mobility, strike, personnel recovery and command and control forces to defend Japan and the U.S. homeland forward, deter aggression, respond to contingencies, and if required, prevail in conflict. In close partnership with the Japan Self-Defense Force, U.S. Forces Japan, and service components, Fifth Air Force enhances bilateral interoperability and readiness through persistent joint planning, exercises, and engagements.
Lt Gen. Carey was commissioned as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC at Baylor University in 1992. He has served in numerous positions at the squadron, group, wing, numbered air force, major command, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization component command levels. His assignments have included command of an operational fighter squadron, vice commander of two air expeditionary wings and commander of three wings, including a flying training wing, air expeditionary wing and large combat wing. He has deployed in support of operations Deliberate Force, Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Freedom Sentinel and U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s Theater Security Package. Prior to his current position, he was the Chief of Staff, United States Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.
Lt. Gen. Carey is a command pilot with more than 3,200 hours in the F-15C/D, A-29, F-111, EF-111, MC-12W, C-208, T-38C and F-15E aircraft, including more than 180 combat missions.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
1998 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Strategic Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2020 CAPSTONE Executive Development Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2022 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Virginia
2023 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2025 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2025 Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1993–July 1994, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
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2. July 1994–May 1998, Student, F-111 Formal Training Unit; Student, EF-111 Transition Course; later, Flight Lead and Assistant Chief of Plans, 429th Electronic Combat Squadron, 27th Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
3. May 1998–December 1998, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. December 1998–December 2001, F-15C Mission Commander and Chief of Safety, 12th FS; later, Flight Commander, 44th FS,18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan
5. January 2002–July 2005, F-15C Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner and Assistant Director of Operations, 1st FS; Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 325th Operations Group, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. July 2005–June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. July 2006–June 2009, Chief of Policy, 3rd Air Force; later Chief, Commander’s Action Group and Executive Officer to Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. July 2009–June 2012, F-15C Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner and Chief, Plans and Programs, 18th Wing; later, Director of Operations, then Commander, 44th FS, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
9. July 2012–July 2013, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2013–December 2013, Vice Commander, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan
11. February 2014–July 2014, Vice Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan
12. July 2014–June 2016, Chief, Force Application Division, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment Directorate (J8), Joint Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. June 2016–May 2018, Commander, 12th Flying Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
14. June 2018–June 2019, Commanding General, Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan
15. July 2019–July 2021, Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
16. August 2021–June 2022, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Headquarters Allied Air Command, Ramstein AB, Germany
17. June 2022–July 2024, Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. August 2024–February 2026, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii
19. March 2026–Current, Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014–June 2016, Chief, Force Application Division, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment Directorate (J8), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. June 2018–June 2019, Commanding General, Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air and Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general
3. August 2021–June 2022, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Headquarters Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as a brigadier general
4. August 2024–March 2026, Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200
Aircraft flown: F-15C/D, A-29, F-111, EF-111, MC-12W, C-208, T-38C and F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with combat device and two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2020 Pacific Air Forces’ General and Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award
The Order of the Rising Sun, Government of Japan
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 16, 1992
First Lieutenant November 8, 1994
Captain November 8, 1996
Major May 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2008
Colonel October 1, 2013
Brigadier General October 2, 2018
Major General June 24, 2022
Lieutenant General March 24, 2026
(Current as of March 2026)