A proven leader with decades of service and strategic expertise

Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) announced today the appointment of General Joseph L. Lengyel, USAF (Ret.) to its Board of Directors, effective September 1, 2025.

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General Joseph L. Lengyel, USAF (Ret.) joins AFBA Board of Directors.

“It’s an honor to welcome General Lengyel to the board,” said General Craig R. McKinley, USAF (Ret.), AFBA Chair. “His extensive experience in the National Guard market will help guide our enterprise as we continue to protect future generations of servicemembers.”

General Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Ret.), President of AFBA, added, “We are steadfast in our commitment to supporting those who serve our nation. The addition of General Lengyel to the board ensures the continuation of this dedication.”

General Joseph L. Lengyel is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the 28th chief of the National Guard Bureau from August 2016 to August 2020. As chief, he was responsible for ensuring that nearly 460,000 Army National Guard and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat capabilities to the United States Army and the United States Air Force. Lengyel is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours primarily in the F-16.

Prior to his last assignment, Lengyel served as the 10th vice chief of the National Guard Bureau. His previous general officer assignments include Senior United States Defense Official; Chief, Office of Military Cooperation; and Defense Attaché, Cairo, United States Central Command, Cairo, Egypt. He retired from the Air Force in 2020, after 38 years of service.

About AFBA

With the support of the General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) was established in 1947 in the basement of the Pentagon to ease the strain on military members and their families who, at the time, could not purchase life insurance that would pay a death benefit if the member was killed in combat. Today, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, AFBA continues to honor its mission, in war and peace, promoting the welfare of its members by providing survivor and other benefits to those who serve this great nation, including members of the uniformed services, first responders, government employees, and their families. AFBA has 915,000 members with $57 billion of death benefits in force and has paid $2 billion of death benefits since inception. AFBA death benefits are primarily underwritten by its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company (a Lincoln, Nebraska domiciled company).

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