BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN MAJOR GENERAL HAROLD L. "MITCH" MITCHELL : OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

             BLACK           SOCIAL           HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                        MAJOR GENERAL HAROLD L. "MITCH" MITCHELL


Retired Jan. 21, 2012.  

Maj. Gen. Harold L. "Mitch" Mitchell is Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. He assists the Inspector General in the performance of all responsibilities of the Office of the Inspector General. The Inspector General reports to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on the readiness, efficiency, economy and state of discipline of all components of our Air Force--Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard.

The Inspector General provides inspection policy, and oversees the inspection and evaluation system for all Air Force nuclear and conventional forces; oversees counterintelligence operations and chairs the Air Force Intelligence Oversight Panel; investigate fraud, waste and abuse; oversees criminal investigations; and provides oversight of complaints resolution programs. The Deputy IG also assists in oversight of two field operating agencies; the Air Force Inspection Agency (AFIA) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). He performs other duties as directed by the Inspector General.

General Mitchell is a graduate of Robert Smalls High School of Beaufort, South Carolina. The General graduated from South Carolina State University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He served on active duty from 1972 to 1978 with the U.S. Marine Corps where he flew the KC-130 Hercules transport aircraft. General Mitchell joined the Air Force Reserve in 1983 as a traditional Reservist assigned to the 728th Airlift Squadron at Norton AFB, Calif. He later commanded the 728th Airlift Squadron and served as vice commander of the 446 Airlift Wing. Leadership positions since his promotion to general officer rank include vice commander of Fourth Air Force, mobilization assistant to the commander of Fifteenth Air Force, Eighteenth Air Force and the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). While at USTRANSCOM, he held the dual responsibilities of Director, Reserve Component Directorate, and Commander, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit (JTRU).

The general is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours. He has over 33 years experience as a commercial pilot and Federal Aviation Administration pilot check airman for a major airline.

EDUCATION
1972 Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolin

1995 Air War College, via correspondence
2002 National Security Decision Making Seminar 

2004 Capstone, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.