
Major General Christopher Craige, USAF (Ret.)
Chief Operating Officer
Major General Craige is a retired Air Force Two-Star General with over 30 years of leadership experience across the globe. Commissioned as a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Gen. Craige served as a command pilot in multiple platforms, including the F-15E, MC-12, and C-130, with combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Throughout his career with the Department of Defense, General Craige held increasingly senior leadership roles, collaborating with multiple military services, congressional leaders, and federal agencies within several joint-service commands. During NATO’s defensive response and posturing for the complex Syrian civil war, Gen. Craige commanded operations at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. He also served as the Commanding General of an Air Expeditionary Wing in Kabul, Afghanistan, where his team fielded critical attack and mobility capabilities for the Afghan Air Force while protecting U.S. and coalition forces. Later, as the lead strategist for a combatant command, he focused on national security priorities for Africa in collaboration with key partners from the State Department and USAID.
Gen. Craige also served as Chief of Staff for a major command overseeing operations in Europe and Africa, leading and facilitating airpower efforts across both continents. At the Pentagon, he oversaw executive development, talent management, and career mapping for all Air Force General Officers. Additionally, Gen. Craige served as the Air Force’s Military Aide to the Vice President, coordinating daily operations between the Vice President, the National Security Affairs team, the White House Situation Room, and the President’s Emergency Operations Center.
In addition to his degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, General Craige holds master’s degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the National War College.
Gen. Craige currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Business Executives for National Security (BENS), a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to educating and elevating national security issues. BENS fosters collaboration between the private sector and senior national security leaders to strengthen the Nation’s security.