Brig. Gen. Christman serves as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air and Commander of the Delaware Air National Guard. He exercises command and control over the wing performing airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and cyberspace operations missions, and serves as principal advisor to The Adjutant General on the execution of air guard assets. He is responsible for force presentation of qualified airmen and the implementation of strategy, policy, plans and initiatives related to the State Partnership Program, federal and state homeland security and civil support mobilization, and overall mission readiness within the Delaware Air National Guard.
Brig. Gen. Christman received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Villanova University. In 2002, he joined the Delaware Air National Guard. In 2008, he co-founded the 166th Network Warfare Squadron, the first of its kind in the Air National Guard and was subsequently mobilized for two years in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as Chief of Cyber Operations for U.S. Special Operations Command. In that role, he led a transnational cyber operations and intelligence team credited with significant counterterrorism successes. In 2015, Brig. Gen. Christman assumed command of the 166th Cyberspace Operations Squadron and led the unit through its first two deployments to U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force. Prior to his current position, he held roles as Director of Plans and Programs for the Delaware Joint Force Headquarters and Deputy Commander for the 166th Airlift Wing, where he assisted the wing commander with organizing, training, and equipping units to perform airlift, aeromedical evacuation and cyberspace operations missions.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, Villanova University, Villanova, Pa.
1998 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2002 Graduate Certificate, Telecommunications, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
2004 Master of Science, Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
2006 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2008 Special Operations Support Team Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 Joint Domestic Operations Course, U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2015 Joint Task Force Staff Training Course, U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2023 Leading Data and Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Organizations, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1998 – May 1999, Flying Operations Planner, 55th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
2. May 1999 – August 1999, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. August 1999 – February 2000, Student, Communications and Information Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
4. February 2000 – August 2002, Computer Scientist, Det. 1, 23rd Information Operations Squadron, Fort Meade, Md.
5. August 2002 – May 2005, Communications Officer, 166th Mission Support Group, New Castle, Del.
6. May 2005 – October 2007, Section Commander, Detachment 1, Headquarters Delaware Air National Guard, New Castle, Del.
7. October 2007 – July 2008, Flight Commander, 166th Information Operations Squadron, New Castle, Del.
8. July 2008 – September 2010, Chief of Cyber Operations, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Meade, Md.
9. October 2010 – September 2013, Flight Commander, 166th Network Warfare Squadron, New Castle, Del.
10. September 2013 – September 2015, Cyber Operations Planner (J36), Joint Force Headquarters - Delaware, New Castle, Del.
11. October 2015 – December 2016, Director of Cyber Operations (J6), Joint Force Headquarters - Delaware, New Castle, Del.
12. May 2015 – March 2019, Commander, 166th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, New Castle, Del.
13. April 2019 – September 2021, Director Cyber & Intelligence (J2/J6), Joint Force Headquarters - Delaware, New Castle, Del.
14. September 2021 – October 2022, Vice Wing Commander, 166th Airlift Wing, New Castle, Del.
15. October 2022 – August 2023, Director of Plans & Programs (J5), Joint Force Headquarters - Delaware, New Castle, Del.
16. September 2023 – Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Air and Commander, Delaware Air National Guard, New Castle, Del.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2008 – September 2010, Chief of Cyber Operations, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Meade, Md., as a major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Certified Information Systems Security Professional
2015 Lieutenant General Clarence E. Atkinson Jr. Award for Unit Excellence
2016 MacArthur Foundation Writing Award, Joint Forces Staff College
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1998
First Lieutenant May 27, 2000
Captain May 27, 2002
Major June 11, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel July 10, 2010
Colonel Sept. 15, 2016
Brigadier General Aug. 25, 2023
(Current as of September 2023)