Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber is the first Commander, 24th Air Force, and Commander, Air Force Network Operations, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. General Webber is responsible for the Air Force's newest numbered air force providing combatant commanders with trained and ready cyber forces which plan and conduct cyberspace operations. Twenty-fourth Air Force personnel extend, maintain and defend the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense global network. The general directs the activities of three wings, two located at Lackland AFB, and one located at Robins AFB, Ga.
General Webber was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1975. He has commanded a missile squadron, support group, missile operations group, missile wing equivalent and two space wings. His staff assignments include Headquarters North Atlantic Treaty Organization International Military Staff, the Air Staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, and Vice Commander of the Aerospace Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center.
General Webber is a command cyber, space and missile operator with qualifications in the Minuteman II, Minuteman III, Global Positioning Satellite and Counter Communications System weapon systems. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Assistant Deputy Chief for Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1975 Bachelor of Science degree in management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1978 Master's degree in business administration and personnel management, University of Missouri, Columbia
1978 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.w
1985 Distinguished graduate, College of Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1985 Master's degree in national security and strategic studies, College of Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
1992 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1999 Program for Executives, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.
2002 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2003 LOGTECH Executive Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2006 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University, N.Y.
2007 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2008 Systems Acquisition Management Course, Defense Aeronautical University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1976 - October 1980, missile combat crew member, instructor missile deputy combat crew commander, instructor missile combat crew commander, wing emergency war order planner and instructor, and emergency rocket communication system emergency war order instructor, 351st Strategic Missile Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
2. October 1980 - October 1981, Air Staff Training Program officer, Strategic Missile Division and Force Analysis Division, Air Force Studies and Analysis, Washington, D.C.
3. November 1981 - August 1984, Chief, Future Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Branch, Directorate of Plans and Operations, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
4. August 1984 - June 1985, student, College of Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
5. June 1985 - April 1989, missile operations staff officer, Strategic Offensive Force Division, Air Force Plans Directorate, Washington, D.C.
6. April 1989 - July 1991, Commander, 508th Strategic Missile Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
7. August 1991 - August 1992, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
8. August 1992 - July 1994, Chairman, Allied Data Systems Interoperability Agency, and Chief, Systems Interoperability Branch, Headquarters North Atlantic Treaty Organization and International Military Staff, Brussels, Belgium
9. July 1994 - July 1995, Commander, 341st Support Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
10. July 1995 - July 1996, Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
11. July 1996 - October 1997, Commander, 321st Missile Group, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
12. October 1997 - June 1999, Vice Commander, Aerospace Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, Langley AFB, Va.
13. June 1999 - April 2001, Commander, 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, Colo.
14. April 2001 - April 2002, Inspector General, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. (October 2001 - March 2002, Assistant Combined Air Operations Center Director for Space and Information Warfare, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia)
15. April 2002 - August 2002, Deputy Director, Operations, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
16. August 2002 - February 2003, Director, Communications and Information Systems, and Chief Information Officer, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
17. February 2003 - March 2004, Director, Logistics and Communications, Chief Information Officer and Chief Sustainment Officer, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo. (March 2003 - May 2003, Deputy Director of Operations for Space and Information Operations, U.S. Central Command, Southwest Asia)
18. March 2004 - November 2005, Commander, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
19. November 2005 - January 2008, Director of Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
20. January 2008 - August 2009, Assistant Deputy Chief for Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
21. August 2009 - present, Commander, 24th Air Force, Lackland AFB, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1992 - July 1994, Chairman, Allied Data Systems Interoperability Agency, and Chief, Systems Interoperability Branch, Headquarters North Atlantic Treaty Organization and International Military Staff, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel
2. October 2001 - March 2002, Assistant Combined Air Operations Center Director for Space and Information Warfare, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, as a colonel and brigadier general
3. March 2003 - May 2003, Deputy Director of Operations for Space and Information Operations, U.S. Central Command Forward, Southwest Asia, as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with bronze star
Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Long
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and oak leaf cluster
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 4, 1975
First Lieutenant June 4, 1977
Captain June 4, 1979
Major Aug. 1, 1984
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1988
Colonel Jan. 1, 1992
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2002
Major General July 14, 2006
Retired July 01, 2011
(Air Force Biography, Current as of April 2011)
