Brigadier General RICHARD A. COE

Brig. Gen. Richard A. Coe is the Inspector General, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He leads more than 160 experts responsible for conducting more than 75 inspections annually. By spearheading both a rigorous inspection schedule and an open-complaint resolution process, General Coe ensures combat readiness, regulatory compliance and oversight for more than 75 active and gained units and more than 130,000 Airmen.

General Coe received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University and was commissioned as a distinguished graduate through the ROTC program in 1989. Since navigator training, he has served as both a  B-1 and F-15E instructor weapons systems officer. He has served as a fighter squadron commander, the Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and the commander of the Air Force Inspection Agency. General Coe has participated in operations Inherent Resolve, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Anaconda, Noble Eagle, Allied Force, Southern Watch and Northern Watch. He is a master navigator with over 3,000 hours, including 460 combat hours.

Prior to his current assignment, General Coe served as the Deputy Commanding General – Air, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command – Iraq; Director, Joint Air Component Coordination Element and Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force – Levant, Southwest Asia.

EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1997 Master’s in organizational management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2001 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, F-15E Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2004 Master’s in military operational art and science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 Master’s in national security strategy, the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2010 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2010 Space Operations Executive Course, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2014 Seminar for Executives on Legislative Operations, The Capital Club, Washington, D.C.
2017 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1990 - May 1992, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather AFB, Calif.
2. June 1992 - June 1995, B-1 Evaluator WSO, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
3. July 1995 - June 1997, Air Force Intern, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
4. July 1997 - May 1998, F-15E Initial Qualification Training, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. May 1998 - December 2000, Flight Commander, 492nd Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England
6. January 2001 - June 2001, F-15E Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. July 2001 - June 2003, Chief of Weapons, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
8. July 2003 - June 2004, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2004 - July 2005, F-22/F-15 SME, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. August 2005 - February 2006, Chief of Operations, SECAF/CSAF Executive Operations Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. March 2006 - May 2006, Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
12. June 2006 - March 2007, Director of Operations, 3rd Operations Support Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
13. April 2007 - April 2008, Commander, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
14. July 2008 - May 2009, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2009 - May 2011, Commandant, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
16. May 2011 - January 2012, Deputy CJ35, Future Operations, ISAF Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. January 2012 - June 2012, Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters ISAF, Kabul, Afghanistan
18. June 2012 - June 2013, Pacific Air Forces Command, Chief of Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
19. July 2013 - April 2015, Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
20. April 2015 - April 2016, Deputy Commanding General – Air, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command - Iraq; Director, Joint Air Component Coordination Element; Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force - Levant, Baghdad
21. June 2016 – present, Inspector General, Headquarters Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2011 - June 2012, Executive Officer to Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Headquarters ISAF, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel
2. April 2015 - present, Deputy Commanding General – Air, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command – Iraq; Director, Joint Air Component Coordination Element; Baghdad, as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master navigator
Flight hours: 3,000, including 460 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-43, AT-38, B-1, F-15E

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross with V device and oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two silver and bronze oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1992 Air Training Command Commander's Trophy
2001 Robbie Risner Award, top graduate U.S. Air Force Weapons School 
2011 Simon Sinek Igniter of the Year Award for Inspirational Leadership
2011 U.S. Army Combat Action Badge

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 3, 1990
First Lieutenant March 3, 1992
Captain March 3, 1994
Major May 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2005
Colonel Oct. 1, 2008
Brigadier General June 5, 2015

(Current as of July 2018)