Sami Dia Said (born 1964) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force, who last served as the Inspector General of the Air Force.[1] In this capacity, he reports to the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Chief of Space Operations on matters concerning Department of the Air Force readiness, efficiency and the military discipline of active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces. He also provides inspection policy and oversees the inspection and evaluation system for all Department of the Air Force nuclear and conventional forces; oversees Department of the Air Force counterintelligence operations; investigates fraud, waste and abuse; oversees criminal investigations; and provides oversight of complaints resolution programs. Said is responsible for three field operating agencies: the Air Force Inspection Agency, the Office of Special Investigations, and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center.

Sami D. Said
Born1964 (age 59–60)
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1991–2022
RankLieutenant General
Commands held144th Fighter Wing
125th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsAir Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal

Said is a command pilot with more than 2,200 hours in both the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Said's combat flying experience includes operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch. Said has commanded at the wing and squadron level. His staff and joint experience include assignments at Headquarters United States Air Force; the Office of the Secretary of Defense; Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan; Department of State, Washington, D.C. and U.S. Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment, Said was the Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Arlington, Virginia.

Said is a 1986 graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[1][2] Said also received his Master of Business Administration from the Western Governors University.[3]

As Air Force Inspector General, Lieutenant General Sami Said determined that the military’s domestic use of reconnaissance aircraft (RC-26 planes) during the summer 2020 protests was legal and not aimed at protestors.[4]

Said did not prosecute anyone for the U.S. military’s August 2021 drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed 10 civilians, including an aid worker and his children.[5]

Retirement edit

Sami Said joined Raytheon Technologies’ Intelligence & Space business as vice president of global security in April 2022.[6]

Awards and decorations edit

  US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
  Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
  Headquarters Air Force Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
  Legion of Merit
  Bronze Star Medal
     Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
  Air Force Achievement Medal
     Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters
  Superior Honor Award
Combat Readiness Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
  Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
     Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
    Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver Hourglass device and "M" device
  Air Force Training Ribbon
  NATO Medal for service with ISAF

Effective dates of promotions[1] edit

Rank Date
  Second Lieutenant February 14, 1991
  First Lieutenant February 28, 1993
  Captain May 20, 1995
  Major May 29, 1999
  Lieutenant Colonel May 29, 2003
  Colonel June 27, 2008
  Brigadier General January 4, 2013
  Major General March 27, 2015
  Lieutenant General January 31, 2019


References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Lieutenant General Sami D. Said (USAF)". United States Air Force. August 6, 2021. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Sami Dia Said". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  3. ^ Official US Air Force Bio for Sami Said
  4. ^ Schmitt, Eric (2020-08-22). "Military Surveillance Planes Didn't Spy on Protesters, Pentagon Report Finds". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  5. ^ Beynon, Steve (2021-11-03). "DoD Says Botched Afghanistan Airstrike in Final Days of War Was Due to Rushed, Poor Planning". Military.com. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  6. ^ "Raytheon Intelligence & Space names new Vice President of Global Security". Raytheon Intelligence & Space. April 4, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force
2015–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force
2019–2022
Succeeded by