Brigadier General James R. Beale is director of space and nuclear deterrence, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. He provides program management direction for development and procurement of Air Force surveillance, communications, navigation and weather satellites, space launch systems, information warfare capabilities, ground-based strategic radars, communications and command centers and sustainment of the nation's land-based strategic nuclear missile systems.
The general entered the Air Force in 1969 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Washington. He has served in the military space community for more than 19 years, including key leadership positions in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force and the White House staff. He has served as director of intelligence (J-2) for both the North American Aerospace Command and U.S. Space Command He also was deputy director for operations of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of the multi-agency center for information system security where he was responsible for operational direction, management control and information security of the defense information infrastructure.
EDUCATION
1969 Bachelor's degree in history, University of Washington
1974 Master's degree in business administration and management, Central Michigan University
1982 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1986 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1969 - March 1970, student, Signal Intelligence Officers Course, 6940th Technical Training Wing, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 1970 - March 1971, section chief, Joint Sobe Processing Center, Sobe, Okinawa
3. April 1971 - October 1971, flight commander, 6924th Security Squadron, Ramason Station, Thailand
4. October 1971 - October 1972, officer-in-charge, OLAA 6924th Security Squadron, TACC, Monkey Mountain, South Vietnam
5. November 1972 - September 1976, Elint requirements staff officer, signals intelligence and special collection division, directorate of collection, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
6. September 1976 - March 1978, satellite operations officer, secretary of the Air Force, Office of Space Systems, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
7. March 1978 - December 1981, deputy for electronic systems, secretary of the Air Force, Office of Space Systems, Washington, D.C.
8. January 1982 - June 1982, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. July 1982 - July 1985, deputy chief of staff for space activities, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Electronic Security Command, San Antonio, Texas
10. July 1985 - May 1986, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
11. June 1986 - June 1987, special assistant for plans and policy to the director of space and strategic defense initiative programs, deputy chief of staff for research and development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
12. June 1987 - May 1988, deputy to the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for space policy, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1988 - November 1988, director of the Office of Space Policy, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. November 1988 - March 1989, acting military assistant for space to the secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. March 1989 - January 1993, director for space infrastructure and launch policy, National Space Council, Executive Office of the President, the White House, Washington, D.C.
16. January 1993 - June 1993, special assistant to the assistant chief of staff, intelligence, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. July 1993 - August 1995, director of intelligence, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
18. September 1995 - October 1996, deputy director for operations and commander, Center for Information System Security, Defense Information Systems Agency, Arlington, Va.
19. October 1996 - present, director of space and nuclear deterrence, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Presidential Service Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 4, 1969
First Lieutenant Feb 20, 1971
Captain Aug 20, 1972
Major Jun 12, 1980
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 1984
Colonel Aug 1, 1989
Brigadier General Sep 1, 1994
(Current as of September 1998)