Lt. Col. Allan Joseph "A.J." Henley's Obituary
Lt. Col. Allan Joseph "A.J." Henley, age 42, of Bellbrook, passed away on Sunday, June 18th, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio, after a three-year long battle with brain cancer.
A.J. was born on February 8th, 1981, in Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He was the middle child of five and grew up moving all around the world as military brat. A.J. graduated from Killeen High School in 1999 at the top of his class. He applied and was accepted into all three service academies. He chose to attend the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. While at USAFA, A.J. met his future wife and fellow cadet, Michelle (Hogue) Henley. They were married on June 3 rd , 2004, at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO.
A.J. graduated from USAFA on May 28, 2003. He earned his private pilot’s license in 2004 and graduated from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, TX in 2005. After pilot training, A.J. was assigned to Offutt AFB, NE where he flew many variations of the RC-135. From Offutt, A.J. was assigned to the 645 th AESS in Greenville, TX where he continued to fly and eventually become the Director of Operations. In 2015, A.J. began working as the Deputy Chief of Flight Operations at the 645 th AESG at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. After a brief stint as Chief
of Safety for the Air Force Research Laboratory in 2018, A.J. returned to the 645 th AESG for his last assignment as the Director of Operations and Deputy Commander of Flight Operations. Throughout his twenty-year career, A.J. flew the T-6, T-1, RC-135S/W/U/V, and the MC-12. A.J. was a command pilot with over 3,000 total flight hours and 485 combat hours for which he earned two Air Medals and five Aerial Achievement Medals. He also won the O’Malley Award for best reconnaissance crew in 2010. A.J. deployed many times throughout his career including deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and FREEDOM’s SENTINEL.
A.J. was a lifelong learner who was passionate about cooking and cars. He had a natural ability in the kitchen that when combined with the research and intentionality he brought into everything, took his food to the next level. A.J. enjoyed all levels of cooking; he was equally adept at quick and easy weeknight meals as he was at preparing holiday feasts for a crowd. However, his most requested recipes were for migas and guacamole. As a cadet, A.J. loved to drive around with Michelle in his 3000 GT and would have liked to do more car restoration projects. After their two boys, Lucas (2007) and Oliver (2012) were born, A.J. found the Audi A6 satisfied his need for high performance and Michelle’s requirement for four doors. A.J. also loved to read nonfiction; he often listened to audiobooks in the car to and from work; and enjoyed sharing what he had learned. His curious nature led him to master many skills and to be an expert on many topics. Whether it was at a bar, in church, or a grocery store, he could talk to anyone and find areas of common interest, slowly turning strangers to acquaintances and acquaintances to friends. He was patient, irreverent, reflective, and larger than life, and he will be missed by so many.
A.J. was preceded in death by his grandfather Joseph C. Alsop Sr. He is survived by his wife Michele Henley, sons Lucas and Oliver, mother Gina M. Waterfield-Jenks, siblings Jennifer Sweigart, Jackie Luce, Erin German, and Brandon Henley, grandmother Virginia B. Alsop, uncles Joseph C. Alsop Jr. and Gary M. Alsop Sr., and close friends Mark Schaumburg,
Benjamin Rogers, Randy Glasgow, Ron Palmer, Cody Colston, and Brian Sweigart.
To help the family celebrate his life, you are invited to attend a Life Celebration Visitation held in his honor on Friday, July 7th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Conner & Koch Life Celebration Home (92 W Franklin St., Bellbrook, OH 45305). A Life Celebration Service will be held on Saturday, July 8th, 2023 at 11:00 am at Bellbrook United Methodist Church (47 E. Franklin St. Bellbrook, OH 45305), with burial and military honors to follow at Bellbrook Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate) and the American Cancer Society
(https://donate.cancer.org/). You are welcome to write a condolence message, plant a tree, upload a photo, and share a story about A.J. at www.ConnerAndKoch.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Col.?
What’s a lesson you learned from Col.?
Share a story where Col.'s kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Col. you’ll never forget.
How did Col. make you smile?