Gen. Duke Z. Richardson was Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He was also the Department of the Air Force Capability Development Executive Officer. Gen. Richardson was responsible for installation and mission support, discovery and development, test and evaluation, life cycle management services, and sustainment of virtually every major Air Force weapon system. The command employs 89,000 people and manages $72 billion of budget authority annually.

Gen. Richardson enlisted in the Air Force in 1983 as an avionics technician, and later received his commission via Officer Training School. In addition to four Program Executive Officer leadership tours, Gen. Richardson has held a breadth of materiel-related assignments within Program Offices, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Headquarters Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Headquarters Air Force, U.S. Special Operations Command, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe
1993 Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1997 Master of Arts, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Advanced Program Management Course, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2006 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2006 Senior Acquisition Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2009 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2012 Executive Program Manager’s Course, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2016 Advanced Senior Leader Development Program, Warrenton, Va.
2021 Leadership at the Peak, Colorado Springs, Colo.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1983–September 1989, Avionics Technician, later, Airmen’s Education and Commissioning Program Student, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. September 1989–May 1993, Space Electronics Engineer, Air Force Research Laboratory (formerly Phillips Laboratory and Weapons Laboratory), Kirtland AFB, N.M.
3. May 1993–July 1995, Course Director and Instructor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
4. August 1995–July 1997, Air Force Intern, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, Arlington, Va.
5. July 1997–June 1999, F-15 Suite 4 Program Manager, F-15 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. July 1999–July 2000, Designated Acquisition Commander Staff Officer, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. August 2000–June 2001, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2001–June 2002, Life Support Systems Program Element Monitor, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2002–June 2004, F-22 Branch Chief and Lead Program Element Monitor, Directorate of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2004–July 2005, Executive Officer to the Military Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
11. August 2005–June 2006, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2006–July 2007, Deputy Director of Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2007–April 2009, Commander, 823rd Aeronautical Systems Group, 303rd Aeronautical Systems Wing, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. May 2009–May 2011, Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
15. May 2011–August 2012, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Fighters and Bombers, Aeronautical Systems Center (later, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. August 2012–September 2013, Vice Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. September 2013–September 2014, Director, Logistics and Sustainment, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. September 2014–June 2017, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers, Tanker Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
19. March 2017–August 2018, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Presidential Airlift Recapitalization, PAR Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
20. September 2018–June 2019, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Presidential and Executive Airlift, PE Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
21. June 2019–June 2022, Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
22. June 2022–September 2025, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1991 Weapons Laboratory Young Scientist/Engineer of the Year
1995 Outstanding Academy Educator, Department of Mathematical Sciences
1997 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2006 Distinguished Graduate, Industrial College of the Armed Forces

(Current as of August 2025)