LIEUTENANT GENERAL RONALD T. KADISH
Lt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish is Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C. The agency is presidentially-chartered and mandated by Congress to develop and acquire highly effective ballistic missile defense systems for defense of U.S. allies and deployed forces. Additionally, the organization will develop options, and if directed, acquire systems for ballistic missile defense of the United States. As director, the general is the acquisition executive for all ballistic missile defense systems and programs.
The general entered the Air Force in 1970 after graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at St. Joseph's University. He was the Program Director for the F-15, F-16 and C-17 system program offices, as well as Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance for the B-1 System Program Office. He is a senior pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, principally in the C-130. Before assuming his current position, he commanded the Electronic Systems Center. The general was responsible for the Air Force's Center of Excellence for command and control systems, handling more than $3 billion in programs annually.
EDUCATION
1970 Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pa.
1975 Master's degree in business administration, University of Utah
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1981 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1990 Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1970 - June 1971, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. June 1971 - June 1974, C-130E pilot and instructor pilot, 62nd Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. June 1974 - June 1976, wing operations staff officer, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. June 1976 - June 1977, Air Force Institute of Technology's Education-with-Industry, Vought Corp., Dallas, Texas
5. July 1977 - August 1980, subsystem co-production officer, F-16 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. August 1980 - June 1981, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 1981 - March 1982, C-130E instructor pilot, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany
8. April 1982 - January 1983, wing and base Chief, Aircrew Standardization and Evaluation Division, 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany
9. January 1983 - July 1984, operations officer, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany
10. July 1984 - September 1985, Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance, B-1 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. September 1985 - July 1987, executive to the Commander, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. July 1987 - June 1988, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1988 - July 1989, Chief, Program Integration Division, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
14. July 1989 - May 1990, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
15. May 1990 - September 1990, student, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
16. September 1990 - August 1992, F-15 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. August 1992 - September 1993, F-16 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. October 1993 - August 1996, Program Director, C-17 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
19. August 1996 - June 1999, Commander, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
20. June 1999 - January 2002, Director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. January 2002 - present, Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,500
Aircraft flown: C-130
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 3, 1970
First Lieutenant Dec. 14, 1971
Captain Dec. 14, 1973
Major Nov. 28, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985
Colonel Sept. 1, 1989
Brigadier General Sept. 1, 1993
Major General Oct. 1, 1995
Lieutenant General Aug. 16, 1996
(Current as of June 2004)
The general entered the Air Force in 1970 after graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at St. Joseph's University. He was the Program Director for the F-15, F-16 and C-17 system program offices, as well as Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance for the B-1 System Program Office. He is a senior pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, principally in the C-130. Before assuming his current position, he commanded the Electronic Systems Center. The general was responsible for the Air Force's Center of Excellence for command and control systems, handling more than $3 billion in programs annually.
EDUCATION
1970 Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pa.
1975 Master's degree in business administration, University of Utah
1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1981 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1990 Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1970 - June 1971, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. June 1971 - June 1974, C-130E pilot and instructor pilot, 62nd Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. June 1974 - June 1976, wing operations staff officer, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. June 1976 - June 1977, Air Force Institute of Technology's Education-with-Industry, Vought Corp., Dallas, Texas
5. July 1977 - August 1980, subsystem co-production officer, F-16 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. August 1980 - June 1981, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 1981 - March 1982, C-130E instructor pilot, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany
8. April 1982 - January 1983, wing and base Chief, Aircrew Standardization and Evaluation Division, 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany
9. January 1983 - July 1984, operations officer, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany
10. July 1984 - September 1985, Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance, B-1 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. September 1985 - July 1987, executive to the Commander, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. July 1987 - June 1988, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 1988 - July 1989, Chief, Program Integration Division, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
14. July 1989 - May 1990, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
15. May 1990 - September 1990, student, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
16. September 1990 - August 1992, F-15 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. August 1992 - September 1993, F-16 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. October 1993 - August 1996, Program Director, C-17 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
19. August 1996 - June 1999, Commander, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
20. June 1999 - January 2002, Director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. January 2002 - present, Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,500
Aircraft flown: C-130
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 3, 1970
First Lieutenant Dec. 14, 1971
Captain Dec. 14, 1973
Major Nov. 28, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1985
Colonel Sept. 1, 1989
Brigadier General Sept. 1, 1993
Major General Oct. 1, 1995
Lieutenant General Aug. 16, 1996
(Current as of June 2004)