The Secretary of Defense of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Defense Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Michael Patrick Chamberlain Carns, United States Air Force, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service contributing to national security and defense, in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States. General Carnes distinguished himself by exceptional service as Deputy Commander in Chief/Chief of Staff and Inspector General, Headquarters, Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command, from June 1987 to September 1989. General Carns provided dynamic leadership, insightful analyses, and dedicated, outstanding performance, significantly strengthening the warfighting capability of the largest geographical unified command in the United States across a broad range of activities pertaining to national security and international relations in the Pacific theater. His perceptive understanding of command relations and joint staff interaction facilitated the establishment of two new subordinate unified commands and two special mission joint task forces in connection with national and regional developments, to include hostilities in the Persian Gulf. He directed and coordinated changes that reoriented exercise evaluations and investigations to surface and rapidly correct misalignments in policies, procedures, and strategies. As the senior military officer on the United States-Philippines Military Bases Agreement Review panel, his sound judgment, clear perspective on the historical interplay of bilateral relations, and attentive responsiveness to fluid negotiating positions contributed immensely to the successful conclusion of the review and set the stage for subsequent renegotiation of the Military Bases Agreement upon its pending expiration. His uncommon devotion to duty, unerring grasp of essentials, innovative leadership, and undeviating loyalty enhanced the readiness and capabilities of forces throughout the United States Pacific Command. The distinctive accomplishments of General Carns reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Air Force, and the Department of Defense.