BRIGADIER GENERAL RONALD T. SCONYERS Brigadier General Ronald T. Sconyers is director, public affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. In addition to advising and supporting the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force as well as other senior leaders, he is responsible for creating and executing strategies to build informed public support for the Air Force. He also provides direction and policy for internal information, community and media relations, security review programs during peace and war, and human resource management for the public affairs career field. He is accredited in public relations (APR). The general graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1970 and began his first assignment as a public affairs officer. He also was a military fellow with the Air Force Institute of Technology's Education-with-Industry program at the Continental Broadcasting Co. (WGN), Chicago. Much of his career was spent in the Air Force Recruiting Service, with assignments ranging from squadron commander to operations officer to executive assistant to the commander. General Sconyers also served as director of public affairs for the U.S. Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Republic of Panama, where he was the Department of Defense spokesman for Operation Just Cause. He served as the director of public affairs, Headquarters Tactical Air Command and Air Combat Command. Additionally, he was the U.S. Central Command Air Forces (Rear) spokesman for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Before assuming his current position, he was base (support group) commander of Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.EDUCATION1970 Bachelor of science degree in international affairs, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1970 Defense Information School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind. 1972 USAF Public Affairs Short Course, University of Oklahoma, Norman 1974 Master of arts degree in communications, St. Louis University, Mo. 1976 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1977 Ph.D. (ABD) in communications, Denver University, Colo. 1982 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.1987 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1997 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Fellow, Seminar XXI, Foreign Politics, International Relations and the National InterestASSIGNMENTS1. July 1966 - June 1970, cadet, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2. June 1970 - September 1973, deputy director and director of information, Headquarters Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service; public information officer, Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. 3. September 1973 - September 1974, military fellow, Air Force Institute of Technology's Education-with-Industry program, Continental Broadcasting Co. (WGN), Chicago 4. September 1974 - June 1977, chief, advertising and publicity division, and chief, operations division, 3567th U.S. Air Force Recruiting Squadron, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo. 5. June 1977 - July 1981, management consultant and executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 6. July 1981 - January 1982, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 7. January 1982 - May 1984, commander, 3544th U.S. Air Force Recruiting Squadron, Arlington, Texas 8. May 1984 - June 1986, chief, training and analysis division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 9. June 1986 - May 1987, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 10. May 1987 - February 1990, director of public affairs, U.S. Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Panama 11. February 1990 - November 1992, director of public affairs, Headquarters Tactical Air Command and Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. 12. November 1992 - January 1994, commander, 363rd Support Group, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. 13. January 1994 - June 1994, deputy director, public affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. 14. June 1994 - present, director, public affairs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of MeritMeritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clustersAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with three oak leaf clustersArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with service starMilitary Outstanding Volunteer Service MedalAWARDS AND HONORS1997 Accredited, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)1997 PRSA Silver Anvil Award, Special Events1997 International Association of Business Communicators, Gold Quill for Internet Site1997 PRSA Thoth Award for Home Page1997 PRSA Thoth Award for Special Event1996 PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Internal Information1996 PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Crisis Communications (Operations in Bosnia)1996 Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Award (Air Force Link to Cyberspace)1996 National Capital Chapter of PRSA Certificate of Excellence (Employee Communications)1996 National Capital Chapter of PRSA Certificate of Excellence (Marketing)1994 Outstanding Achievement Award, Sumter, S.C.1991 Secretary of the Air Force Director of Public Affairs Award for Excellence for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm1989 PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Crisis Public Relations (Crisis in Panama)PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONSMember, Public Relations Society of AmericaMember, International Association of Business CommunicatorsMember, Air Force Public Affairs Alumni AssociationMember, National Association of Government CommunicatorsLife Member, Air Force AssociationEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant Jun 3, 1970First Lieutenant Dec 3, 1971Captain Dec 3, 1973Major Sep 14, 1980Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1984Colonel Jul 1, 1988Brigadier General Jun 1, 1995 (Current as of August 1997)PUBLISHED ARTICLES"Crisis in Panama: A Public Affairs Success Story," Military Media Review, summer 1989"Information War: Anti-America Media in Latin America," Military Review, February 1989"Revolutionary Air Force Public Affairs: Engineered for Breakthrough Performance," A White Paper, March 1995