Major General Keith D. McCartney is assistant deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General McCartney was born in 1933, in Casey, Iowa, and graduated from Bagley (Iowa) High School in 1951. In 1955 he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Iowa and received his commission as a graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He is a graduate of the Harvard University program for management development and Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
He entered active duty at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in January 1956. The following month he began undergraduate navigator training at Ellington Air Force Base, Texas. He received his navigator wings in January 1957 and then attended the advanced radar interceptor training course at James Connally Air Force Base, Texas.
In August 1957 General McCartney was assigned as a crew navigator with the 963rd Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron at McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. He accumulated approximately 5,000 flying hours in EC-121 Super Constellations and had additional duties as squadron administrative and personnel officer.
The general transferred to Headquarters 13th Air Force, Clark Air Base, Philippines, in February 1962 where, as director of military personnel, he participated in planning the U.S. Air Force buildup in the Republic of Vietnam and Thailand.
In April 1964 he moved to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as chief, support officer assignments. He transferred to the U.S. Air Force Military Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in April 1967 and held several key management positions in the Officer Management Division. He attended the Harvard University program for management development while assigned to Randolph.
General McCartney entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in August 1971. Following graduation in June 1972, he was assigned to Air Force headquarters as chief of the Officer Programs Branch in the Directorate of Personnel Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. He participated in the postwar reorganization of personnel procurement, promotion and utilization programs.
He served as executive assistant to the secretary of the Air Force from March 1974 to March 1976. General McCartney assisted and advised Secretaries of the Air Force John L. McLucas and Thomas C. Reed on the broad range of military matters failing within their responsibility. In this capacity the general played a key role in the design of new policies for the reduction and reorganization of the force.
General McCartney was assigned as deputy director of personnel plans, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Personnel at Air Force headquarters in April 1976. He directed policy development for accessions, promotions, entitlements, human resources development and force utilization. He also guided the analysis of all personnel activities.
From March 1979 to March 1981, General McCartney served at Randolph Air Force Base as commander of the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service and was responsible for directing the recruitment of personnel for the Air Force. He then returned to Air Force headquarters as director of manpower and organization in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel. He assumed his present duties in March 1983.
The general is a master navigator. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award ribbon and Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit (Cheon Su).
He was promoted to major general July 1, 1981, with date of rank Sept. 1, 1977.
(Current as Of March 1983)