Review Boards Agency director retires after 58 years of federal service

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jess Harvey
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  The longest-serving director of the Air Force Review Boards Agency retired Jan. 31, after serving more than 31 years in that position and more than 58 years total in federal service.

Joe Lineberger, a senior executive service civilian, was retired during a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., presided over by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley.

Lineberger retired as a colonel from the Air Force in August 1980 having served 27 years, and then assumed the Air Force Review Boards Agency director position Sept. 1, 1980.

Donley said Lineberger's accomplishments are remarkable by any standard.

"Joe knows all there is to know about all things 'review board,'" said Donley, who pointed out that Lineberger's career spanned 11 presidents, 17 chiefs of staff and 20 secretaries of the Air Force.

During his time, Lineberger also headed up eight review boards for the secretary of the Air Force and two for the secretary of defense. He led the Air Force Review Boards Agency in its mission to correct errors and injustices in military records.

"The board's decisions have enormous ramifications," Donley said.

Those cases included Marine Cpl. Anthony Casamento, Air Force Staff Sgt. William Pitsenbarger and Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, who were all awarded Medals of Honor after Lineberger and his team got involved, Donley said.

Lineberger said the Medal of Honor cases were three of his biggest accomplishments, followed by his success at getting veterans' benefits for the Women Airforce Service Pilots, Flying Tigers, Merchant Marines and Tuskegee Airmen who served in World War II. He said those groups fought overseas, but weren't being taken care of as veterans. He and his team worked to get the rules changed and then helped the veterans apply for benefits.

Lineberger's civilian awards include the Air Force Organization Excellence Award, the Exceptional Civilian Service Award, two Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, the Air Force Recognition Award and the Air Force Association Citation Award.