Michelle A. Schmidt

Michelle A. Schmidt is a United States Army lieutenant general who is serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2) at the United States Army Staff. She most recently has served as commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division from September 15, 2023, to October 2025, and as the deputy commanding general of the I Corps from August to September 2023.

Military career Schmidt attended the United States Military Academy, graduating as a member of the class of 1992. She was commissioned as a military intelligence officer and began her career as a platoon leader in the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. She later served as company commander in the 82nd Airborne Division before serving as the intelligence officer for the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment and later for the entire division.

During the September 11 attacks, Schmidt served as military intern in the office of Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. She left the Pentagon for her morning run around 8:00 AM and was on her way back when Flight 77 hit the building. She recounts not seeing the plane hit the building, but seeing the explosion which she initially believed to be a bomb.

She later described the attacks as vital to her decision of staying in the military instead of choosing a different career path, something she had been considering up to that point.

She also served as senior intelligence officer and squadron commander for the 1st Special Operations Detachment-Delta.

Schmidt later became the intelligence brigade commander for Joint Special Operations Command, chief of staff for the 82nd Airborne Division and eventually served as chief of the initiatives group for the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

She was promoted to brigadier general on June 2, 2018. Her initial general officer assignment was as Director of Intelligence (J-2) of US Special Operations Command until June 2019.

In June 2019, she assumed the role of deputy commanding general, 10th Mountain Division (Light). She was then assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence of the Resolute Support Mission and Director of Intelligence for United States Forces-Afghanistan from July 2020 to the end of the U.S. involvement in July 2021.

Schmidt was promoted to major general on July 29, 2021, and assigned as Director of Operations for the Defense Intelligence agency until 2022.

She then worked as the director of force development of the United States Army until August 2023. From August to September 2023, she served as deputy commanding general of the I Corps. In September 2023, she assumed command of the 7th Infantry Division, a position she held until October 2025.

Schmidt was promoted to lieutenant general on December 5, 2025, in her current role as Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2) of the United States Army.

She has completed 15 deployments to Iraq and three to Afghanistan, earning her twelve Overseas Service Bars.

Awards and decorations

Badges and insignia Combat Action Badge Master Parachutist Badge Personal decorations Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters National Defense Service Medal with one service star Service and campaign medals Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon Identification badges Army Staff Identification Badge Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge Foreign awards Canadian Parachutist Badge Unit awards Valorous Unit Award with one bronze oak leaf cluster Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze oak leaf clusters Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Combat Service Identification Badge United States Army Special Operations Command