CHAPLAIN (BRIGADIER GENERAL) RICHARD M. ERIKSON
Chaplain, (Brig. Gen.) Richard M. Erikson is the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He is principal advisor to the Chief of Chaplains for training, readiness and sourcing the Air Force Reserve Chaplain Corps. He assists in developing the Chaplain Corps Strategic Plan, Total Force Policy and strategic planning objectives. He assists the Chief of Chaplains in coordinating Air Force Reserve matters. Chaplain Erikson is a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, the Reserve Chaplain Corps Council and the Air Force Reserve Chaplain Development Team.
Chaplain Erikson was commissioned a second lieutenant on June 10, 1982. He has served 35 years in the Air Force Reserve including seven years as an active duty chaplain. His previous assignment was the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains.
In his civilian position, Chaplain Erikson is pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Sudbury, Massachusetts. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 8, 1985. He is the author of “Late Have I Loved Thee: Stories of Religious Conversion and Commitment in Later Life” (Paulist Press, 1995; St. Paul’s Press, 1998). He is an avid lover of music and has compiled, produced and published liner notes in over a dozen compact discs. He deployed to Balad, Iraq from July to September 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1980 Bachelor of Arts, St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.
1985 Master of Arts in Theology, St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass.
1985 Master of Divinity, St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass.
1990 Master of Arts in Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1992 Doctorate in Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2001 Academic Instructor School
2004 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1982 - May 1986, Chaplain Candidate, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Mich. and March AFB, Calif.
2. May 1986 - May 1988, Reserve Chaplain, Pease AFB, N.H.
3. May 1988 - August 1992, Reserve Chaplain, March AFB, Calif.
4. August 1992 - July 1999, Reserve Chaplain, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. July 1999 - June 2000, Catholic Chaplain, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. June 2000 - September 2001, Catholic Chaplain, Andersen AFB, Guam
7. September 2001 - June 2003, Staff Chaplain for Curriculum Development, Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. July 2003 - September 2003, Chief, Chaplain Service Resource Division, Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. September 2003 - May 2004, Executive Officer to the Chief of the Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2004 - June 2006, Staff Chaplain, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (July 2004 - September 2004, Catholic Chaplain, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
11. July 2006 - April 2007, IMA to the Chief, Personnel, Readiness and Professional Development Division, Office of the Command Chaplain, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. April 2007 - July 2007, IMA to the Deputy Command Chaplain, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. July 2007 - September 2009, IMA to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. September 2009 - May 2010, IMA to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
15. June 2010 - Apr 2012, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2012 - April 2017, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hour glass
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 10, 1982
First Lieutenant May 5, 1986
Captain May 5, 1990
Major May 5, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2002
Colonel April 1, 2007
Brigadier General May 1, 2012
(Current as of May 2017)
Chaplain Erikson was commissioned a second lieutenant on June 10, 1982. He has served 35 years in the Air Force Reserve including seven years as an active duty chaplain. His previous assignment was the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains.
In his civilian position, Chaplain Erikson is pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Sudbury, Massachusetts. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 8, 1985. He is the author of “Late Have I Loved Thee: Stories of Religious Conversion and Commitment in Later Life” (Paulist Press, 1995; St. Paul’s Press, 1998). He is an avid lover of music and has compiled, produced and published liner notes in over a dozen compact discs. He deployed to Balad, Iraq from July to September 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1980 Bachelor of Arts, St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.
1985 Master of Arts in Theology, St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass.
1985 Master of Divinity, St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass.
1990 Master of Arts in Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1992 Doctorate in Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2001 Academic Instructor School
2004 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1982 - May 1986, Chaplain Candidate, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Mich. and March AFB, Calif.
2. May 1986 - May 1988, Reserve Chaplain, Pease AFB, N.H.
3. May 1988 - August 1992, Reserve Chaplain, March AFB, Calif.
4. August 1992 - July 1999, Reserve Chaplain, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. July 1999 - June 2000, Catholic Chaplain, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. June 2000 - September 2001, Catholic Chaplain, Andersen AFB, Guam
7. September 2001 - June 2003, Staff Chaplain for Curriculum Development, Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. July 2003 - September 2003, Chief, Chaplain Service Resource Division, Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. September 2003 - May 2004, Executive Officer to the Chief of the Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2004 - June 2006, Staff Chaplain, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (July 2004 - September 2004, Catholic Chaplain, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
11. July 2006 - April 2007, IMA to the Chief, Personnel, Readiness and Professional Development Division, Office of the Command Chaplain, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
12. April 2007 - July 2007, IMA to the Deputy Command Chaplain, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. July 2007 - September 2009, IMA to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. September 2009 - May 2010, IMA to the Command Chaplain, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
15. June 2010 - Apr 2012, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2012 - April 2017, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hour glass
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 10, 1982
First Lieutenant May 5, 1986
Captain May 5, 1990
Major May 5, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2002
Colonel April 1, 2007
Brigadier General May 1, 2012
(Current as of May 2017)
