Geri Michaels

Geri Michaels is the Chief of Asset Protection, Joint Staff J-8 Deputy Director for Force Protection, Force Protection Division. She serves as the Joint Staff J-8 focal point for matters pertaining to survivability and resilience of Department of Defense assets and installations, Defense Critical Assets, and force protection capabilities. Recently her primary focus area has been working across the Department on behalf of senior leaders to lay the groundwork for an enduring Joint enterprise to counter uncrewed systems across multiple domains. Prior to becoming Chief of Asset  Protection, she served as the Senior Analyst for Space,  Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, and Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UXS) in the Force  Protection Division.  

Geri previously supported Headquarters Air Force A2Q Intelligence, Surveillance and  Reconnaissance (ISR) Innovations. In this capacity she worked with warfighters and  vendors to identify improvements and accelerate capabilities to give troops in combat  zones access to real-time ISR video feeds and intelligence data in the field. Prior to  A2Q she served as an Air Force civilian, as the Air Force Special Operations Command  (AFSOC) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Operations Program Manager. There she  established the RPA Operations program and oversaw construction of two new AFSOC  MQ-1/-9 RPA Operations Centers, fielded new RPA Operations systems architectures, and managed the conversion of the mobile ground control stations to a fixed “suite”  style capability. Ahead of her Federal position, she supported AFSOC as national  agency Liaison to RPA operations and initiated the AFSOC MQ-1/MQ-9 RPA Operations Center redesign effort.  

Geri retired from the Air Force in 2011 after 13 years on active duty. Her career  highlights include serving at US Strategic Command and US Central Command, being  an Air Force MQ-1/-9 schoolhouse Instructor and being an AFSOC Senior Mission  Intelligence Coordinator. She conducted over 2,000 hours of MQ-1/-9 combat flight  operations for Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and other  national and special operations missions. Her active duty career culminated as Deputy  Director of Wing RPA Operations at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. 

Ms. Michaels holds a Bachelors Degree in Military Management & Program Acquisition and a Masters of Science in Space Studies with focus on Space Policy. She will be  participating in the Analyst Working Group’s Analyst Leadership Program FY25 Cohort  starting in September 2024.  

Her awards include the Joint Civilian Service Achievement Medal, Joint Service  Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal (1 oak leaf cluster), and the  Joint Service Achievement Medal.