Colonel Michael E. Lisella is the Commander of the 103d Medical Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Connecticut. He leads a multidisciplinary medical team responsible for ensuring the medical readiness, force health protection, and deployable medical capability of more than 1,100 Connecticut Air National Guard Airmen assigned to the 103d Airlift Wing. Colonel Lisella oversees medical operations, clinical readiness programs, and expeditionary medical support, ensuring the wing maintains the medical capability required to support global operations as well as domestic response missions in support of the State of Connecticut.
Colonel Lisella began his military career as an avionics technician in the active-duty U.S. Air Force before joining the Connecticut Air National Guard in September 1990. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut, he was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in 1998 as a Civil Engineering officer. Throughout his career he has served in a wide range of operational and staff assignments, including Civil Engineering Officer, Operations Assessment Analyst in the Strategy Division of the 103d Air Operations Group,
Bioenvironmental Engineering Officer, and Deputy Commander of the 103d Medical Group. His experience spans engineering, operational planning, and medical readiness, providing a unique cross-functional perspective that informs his leadership of the wing’s medical enterprise. He assumed command of the 103d Medical Group on Feb. 2, 2025.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air Operations Center Operators Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2011 Air Operations Center Strategy Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2011 Master of Science in Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Bioenvironmental Engineering Officer Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2023 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1998 – July 2004, Civil Engineering Officer, 103d Civil Engineer Squadron, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
2. September 2001 – October 2001, Wing Plans Officer, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
3. July 2004 – June 2008, Readiness Flight Commander, 103d Civil Engineer Squadron, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
4. June 2008 – May 2013, Operations Assessment Analyst, 103d Air Operations Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
5. September 2009 – November 2009, Operations Assessment Analyst, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
6. May 2013 – May 2022, Bioenvironmental Engineering Officer, 103d Medical Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
7. September. 2021 – January 2022, Officer in Charge, Occupational Health, Air Base 201, Agadez, Niger
8. May 2022 – February 2025, Deputy Commander, 103d Medical Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
9. February 2025 – Present, Commander, 103d Medical Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, East Granby, Conn.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 24, 1998
First Lieutenant Sept. 24, 2000
Captain June 7, 2003
Major June 23, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 17, 2013
Colonel Feb. 2, 2025
(Current as of March 2026