Michael P. C. Carns
1937–2023 (age 86)
Biography
General Michael P. C. Carns rose to become Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, providing steady leadership as the service balanced expeditionary operations with long-term modernization in the 1980s and 1990s. He later served on the Joint Chiefs as a senior advisor, lending his insight to global contingencies and evolving airpower roles.
After retiring, Carns remained engaged in national security discussions, offering counsel on defense reform and mentoring new leaders, and he is remembered at Arlington National Cemetery for his strategic vision and lifelong dedication to the Air Force family.