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| Information > Biographies > MAJOR GENERAL DONALD C. RALPH |
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MAJOR GENERAL DONALD C. RALPH
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Maj. Gen Donald C. Ralph is Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe; U.S. Air Forces Africa, Commander Air Component Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. USAFE is the air component to both U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, and is responsible for providing full-spectrum warfighting air and space operations capability to the combatant commander throughout the entire area of responsibility, which includes parts of three continents and 105 countries throughout Europe, Africa and parts of Asia.
General Ralph entered the Air Force in 1980 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He served as a C-130 advanced flying training instructor pilot, followed by an Air Staff Training assignment at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He was then selected initial cadre aircraft commander to fly the B-1B bomber at McConnell AFB, Kan., followed by selection to attend USAF Test Pilot School. General Ralph has served as an instructor, flight examiner and operations officer of a tactical airlift squadron. He commanded the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, a one-of-a kind weather reconnaissance squadron known as the "Hurricane Hunters" and served as the Vice Wing Commander of the 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss., a tactical airlift and weather reconnaissance wing flying the new WC/C-130J aircraft. In the Joint arena, General Ralph has spent more than six years serving directly for three Combatant Commanders. He has served for two MAJCOM Commanders, as well as assignments at the Headquarters U.S. Air Force and numbered Air Force-level. In addition, he has experience as an Air Component Commander in seven Joint Chiefs of Staff-level exercises.
EDUCATION
1980 Bachelor of Science degree in operations research, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1984 Master's degree in civil and mechanical engineering, California State University, Northridge
1984 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1985 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1996 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2000 Air War College, by correspondence
2001 Joint Aerospace Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2002 Director of Mobility Forces Course, McGuire AFB, N.J.
2008 Joint Nuclear Senior Surety Executive Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2009 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2009 Director of Space Forces Course, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2010 Advanced Cyber Security Course, Idaho National Labs, Boise, Idaho.
2010 Harvard US-Russian Security Course and Black Sea Security Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2011 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1980 - January 1982, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. January 1982 - July 1985, "Project Season" pilot, 146th Tactical Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard
3. July 1985 - October 1986, advanced flying training instructor pilot, 16th Tactical Airlift Training Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. October 1986 - May 1987, Air Staff Training action officer, Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. May 1987 - October 1987, Air Staff Training mobility forces programmer, Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
6. October 1987 - June 1989, B-1B aircraft commander, 384th Bomb Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
7. June 1989 - June 1990, B-1B assistant flight commander, 384th Bomb Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
8. June 1990 - June 1991, assistant Chief, Bomber-Tanker Combat Operations, 384th Bomb Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
9. June 1991 - October 1991, civil engineering officer, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
10. October 1991 - March 1994, command and control officer, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
11. March 1994 - January 1996, Chief, Operations Plans, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
12. January 1996 - May 1997, plans and programs officer, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
13. May 1997 - September 1999, Chief, Deliberate Plans, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
14. September 1999 - April 2002, Commander, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
15. April 2002 - October 2005, Vice Commander, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss. (April 2003 - October 2005, Battle Commander, Northern Command, Homeland Defense, Tyndall AFB, Fla.)
16. October 2005 - January 2006, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, Mobility Management, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
17. January 2006 - December 2008, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Global Operations (J3), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
18. January 2009 - June 2011, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
19. June 2011 - present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Europe Command, Ramstein AB, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2003 - October 2005, Battle Commander, Northern Command, Homeland Defense, Tyndall AFB, Fla., as a colonel
2. January 2006 - December 2008, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Global Operations (J3), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a colonel and brigadier general
3. January 2009 - June 2011, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a brigadier general and major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 13,412
Aircraft flown: Military: B-1B, B-52H, C/W-130J, C-130E/H/H2/H3, E-6B, F-16, F-15, SU-27, AT-38, T-38, T-37 and T-41; Civilian: B-767ER, B-767, B-757, L-1011, B-727, B777, MD-11 and glider aircraft
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1980
First Lieutenant May 28, 1982
Captain May 28, 1984
Major May 28, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 18, 1998
Colonel April 1, 2002
Brigadier General July 1, 2007
Major General Feb. 2, 2010
(Current as of May 2013)
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