Maj. Gen. Richard L. Kemble is the Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. He is responsible for planning and programming more than $6 billion annually for a force of more than 69,000 personnel and 800 total organizations. He leads the development of strategic and contingency plans, major equipment requirements and doctrine reviews. Additionally, he leads AFRC’s total-force integration efforts supporting nine major commands and all lead command/agents.
Maj. Gen. Kemble entered the Air Force in 1988 as a distinguished graduate of the University of South Carolina Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He separated from active duty in 1998 and entered the Air Force Reserve at the 701st Airlift Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. As a member of the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, he has flown or directed combat operations supporting numerous conflicts and contingencies. From July to November 2013, Maj. Gen. Kemble was deployed as the Combined Air and Space Operations Center Deputy Director of Mobility Forces in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Kemble was the Director, Air Force Reserve Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours in the C-141B, C-17A and C-130H aircraft.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Arts, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence and in residence
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 Master of Business Administration/Management, Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2018 Director of Mobility Forces Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1988–January 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. April 1990–April 1993, C-141B Instructor Pilot, Charleston AFB, S.C.
3. April 1993–June 1995, C-141B Examiner Aircraft Commander, Charleston AFB, S.C.
4. June 1995–June 1996, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Exercise and Contingency Director, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
5. June 1996–January 1998, Civil Engineer, AMC Facilities Program Manager, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. January 1998-July 2002, C-17A Examiner Aircraft Commander, 701st Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
7. July 2002–March 2006, Chief of Tactics, 315th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C.
8. March 2006–July 2007, Chief of Safety, 315th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C.
9. July 2007–January 2008, Commander, 315th Operations Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
10. January 2008–February 2009, Commander, 300th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
11. February 2009–August 2010, 1st Air Force, Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Northern Command Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer for the State of South Carolina, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
12. August 2010–February 2014, Vice Commander, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
13. July 2013–November 2013, Deputy Director of Mobility Forces, 609th Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
14. March 2014–November 2015, Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. November 2015–February 2017, Vice Commander, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
16. February 2017–January 2018, Mobilization Assistant, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
17. January 2018–December 2019, Commander, 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
18. December 2019–April 2022, Director, Air Force Reserve Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. April 2022–present, Director, Air Force Reserve Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Warner Robins, Ga.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2014-November 2015, Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 6000 hours
Aircraft flown: T-41, T-37, T-38, C-141B, C-17A and C-130H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sept. 2, 1988
First Lieutenant Sept. 2, 1990
Captain Sept. 2, 1992
Major June 23, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 30, 2004
Colonel Dec. 1, 2008
Brigadier General Dec. 2, 2017
Major General June 23, 2022
(Current as of June 2022)