Brig. Gen. William H. Kale III is the Air Force Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for providing policy and oversight for the planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities and environmental quality of 176 Air Force bases worldwide valued at more than $420 billion. This responsibility includes housing, fire emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal and emergency management services. He also influences resourcing for installation support functions with an annual budget of $8 billion and is the focal point for organizing, training and equipping a 51,000-person engineering force.
Brig. Gen. Kale entered the Air Force in 1995 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Pennsylvania State University. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. The general has also served on three headquarters staffs and as a legislative fellow. He has deployed in support of operations Southern Watch, Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Kale led the Air Force Legislative Liaison Office in the U.S. House of Representatives.
EDUCATION
1993 Exchange Student, University of Leeds, U.K.
1995 Bachelor of Architectural Engineering, Pennsylvania State University
2001 Master of Science, Environmental and Engineering Management, Air Force Institute of Technology
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Legislative Fellowship, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy
2015 National Security Executive Leadership Seminar, Foreign Service Institute
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995–March 1998, Chief of Support Group Project Team and Chief of Contract Management, 23rd and 43rd Civil Engineer Squadrons, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
2. March 1998–August 1999, Chief of Contract Management and Architectural Engineer, 65th Civil Engineer Squadron, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal
3. August 1999–April 2001, Graduate Student, Environmental and Engineering Management Department, School of Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. April 2001–May 2001, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
5. May 2001–June 2004, Project Engineer and Engineering Flight Commander, 819th RED HORSE Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mo.
6. June 2004–July 2007, Beddown/BRAC Program Manager and Executive Officer (Civil Engineer and then Installations and Mission Support), Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
7. July 2007–January 2009, Legislative Fellow, Air University, (Offices of the Secretary of the Air Force Congressional Budget and Appropriation Liaison and Legislative Liaison) the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., and U.S. House of Representatives (Office of Congressman Daniel E. Lungren, Third Congressional District of California), Washington, D.C.
8. January 2009–July 2010, Legislative Affairs Program Manager, Office of the Civil Engineer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (November 2009–June 2010, Commander, 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Southwest Asia)
9. July 2010–July 2012, Commander, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
10. July 2012–June 2013, Student & Research Fellow, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2013–July 2015, Chief, Program and Requirements Branch, Policy and Programs Division, Deputy Directorate for Program Management Activities, Directorate for Joint Force Development (J7), Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2015–July 2017, Commander, 11th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
13. July 2017–July 2019, Commander, 501st Combat Support Wing, RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom
14. July 2019–July 2020, Chief, House Liaison Division, Office of the Legislative Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. July 2020–present, Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Professional Engineer License, State of Ohio
2002 Air Force Engineer of the Year
2002 National Society of Professional Engineers Federal Engineer of the Year Top 10 Finalist
2003 Air Force Civil Engineer Military Manager of the Year Runner-Up
2004 Army Air Assault Badge
2004 Pacific Air Forces Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award nominee
2004 Pacific Air Forces Company Grade Officer of the Year
2006 Army Combat Action Badge
2007 Project Management Professional Certification, Project Management Institute
2011 United States Air Forces in Europe Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award nominee
2012 Society of American Military Engineer Curtin Award (Air Force’s Best Large Civil Engineer Squadron)
2012 United States Air Forces in Europe Senior Civil Engineer Manager of the Year
2013 Award for Outstanding Research, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1995
First Lieutenant May 30, 1997
Captain May 30, 1999
Major Oct. 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel Oct. 1, 2014
Brigadier General Aug. 7, 2020
(Current as of June 2021)