CHAPLAIN (MAJOR GENERAL) CECIL R. RICHARDSON
Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson is Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. As a member of the special staff of the Chief of Staff, he establishes guidance and provides advice on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel. He is responsible for establishing an effective chaplain program to meet the religious needs of all members of the Air Force and their dependents. As Chief of Chaplains, he is the senior pastor for more than 800,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. He leads an Air Force Chaplain Corps of approximately 2,200 chaplains and chaplain assistants from the active and Air Reserve components. As Chairman of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, he advises the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality-of-life concerns.
Chaplain Richardson began his career as an enlisted intercept operator and Russian interpreter. He has served two assignments as a senior Protestant chaplain and two as a wing chaplain. He has also served as the chaplain assignments officer and a major command division chief. His senior leadership positions include Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplain Board; Command Chaplain for U.S. Central Command and Air Combat Command; and Commandant, U.S. Air Force Chaplains Corps College. Prior to his present position, he served as the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains.
EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical studies, Evangel University, Springfield, Mo.
1976 Master of Divinity degree in Hebrew studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill.
1981 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1988 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1992 Air War College, by seminar
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1966 - May 1967, Russian language student, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2. June 1967 - August 1967, electronic intercept student, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. August 1967 - December 1968, Russian intercept operator, Karamursel Air Base, Turkey
4. January 1969 - January 1970, Russian interpreter, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
5. April 1977 - June 1980, Protestant chaplain, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. June 1980 - July 1981, senior Protestant chaplain, 5073rd Air Base Group, Shemya AFB, Alaska
7. July 1981 - July 1983, Protestant chaplain, 1606th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. July 1983 - July 1984, Air Staff Training officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Bolling AFB, D.C.
9. July 1984 - June 1986, senior Protestant chaplain, 410th Bombardment Wing, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
10. June 1986 - June 1988, installation staff chaplain, 7276th Air Base Group, Iraklion Air Station, Greece
11. June 1988 - July 1991, Chief, Education and Professional Development Division, Office of the Command Chaplain, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. July 1991 - June 1993, senior chaplain, 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash.
13. June 1993 - August 1995, assignments officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Bolling AFB, D.C.
14. August 1995 - February 1997, Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplains Board, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. February 1997 - June 2000, Command Chaplain, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
16. July 2000 - June 2003, Command Chaplain, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
17. July 2003 - April 2004, Commandant, USAF Chaplain Corps College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
18. April 2004 - May 2008, Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. May 2008 - present, Chief of Air Force Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1995 - February 1997, Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplain Board, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. February 1997 - June 2000, Command Chaplain, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver oak leaf cluster
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Captain April 9, 1977
Major Nov. 1, 1984
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1990
Colonel Sept. 1, 1995
Brigadier General June 1, 2004
Major General May 28, 2008
(Current as of April 2012)
Chaplain Richardson began his career as an enlisted intercept operator and Russian interpreter. He has served two assignments as a senior Protestant chaplain and two as a wing chaplain. He has also served as the chaplain assignments officer and a major command division chief. His senior leadership positions include Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplain Board; Command Chaplain for U.S. Central Command and Air Combat Command; and Commandant, U.S. Air Force Chaplains Corps College. Prior to his present position, he served as the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains.
EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical studies, Evangel University, Springfield, Mo.
1976 Master of Divinity degree in Hebrew studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill.
1981 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1988 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1992 Air War College, by seminar
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1966 - May 1967, Russian language student, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2. June 1967 - August 1967, electronic intercept student, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. August 1967 - December 1968, Russian intercept operator, Karamursel Air Base, Turkey
4. January 1969 - January 1970, Russian interpreter, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
5. April 1977 - June 1980, Protestant chaplain, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. June 1980 - July 1981, senior Protestant chaplain, 5073rd Air Base Group, Shemya AFB, Alaska
7. July 1981 - July 1983, Protestant chaplain, 1606th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. July 1983 - July 1984, Air Staff Training officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Bolling AFB, D.C.
9. July 1984 - June 1986, senior Protestant chaplain, 410th Bombardment Wing, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
10. June 1986 - June 1988, installation staff chaplain, 7276th Air Base Group, Iraklion Air Station, Greece
11. June 1988 - July 1991, Chief, Education and Professional Development Division, Office of the Command Chaplain, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. July 1991 - June 1993, senior chaplain, 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash.
13. June 1993 - August 1995, assignments officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Bolling AFB, D.C.
14. August 1995 - February 1997, Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplains Board, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. February 1997 - June 2000, Command Chaplain, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
16. July 2000 - June 2003, Command Chaplain, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
17. July 2003 - April 2004, Commandant, USAF Chaplain Corps College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
18. April 2004 - May 2008, Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. May 2008 - present, Chief of Air Force Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1995 - February 1997, Executive Director, Armed Forces Chaplain Board, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. February 1997 - June 2000, Command Chaplain, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver oak leaf cluster
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Captain April 9, 1977
Major Nov. 1, 1984
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1990
Colonel Sept. 1, 1995
Brigadier General June 1, 2004
Major General May 28, 2008
(Current as of April 2012)