U.S. Air Force General Jeffrey Harrigian has Armenian roots, and his grandparents on father’s side came from Armenia.

General Harrigian who has recently assumed the command of NATO’s Allied Air Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, responded to Armenian News-NEWS.am’s e-mail enquiry about his family and Armenian roots.

“My grandparents on my Dad’s side came from the Yerevan area in Armenia. My grandparents came through Ellis Island and ended up in Chicago,” he said.

General Harrigian added that his grandparents spoke Armenian. When asked whether his knows anything about Armenian traditions and cuisine, he replied: “I grew up eating Armenian food almost every weekend in my Dad’s parents’ house”. 

Harrigian is a fighter pilot who graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1985. He has more than 4,100 hours flying the F-22, F-15C.

General Harrigian said he is not the first military man in his family.

“I had an uncle serve in the Army and my Mom’s father served in the Navy,” he added.

Harrigian previously served as commander of Air Forces Central Command and the combined forces air component between 2016 and 2018, overseeing the air campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan and against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.