Ronald Burgess
Ronald L. Burgess, Jr. is a lieutenant general in the United States Army, who now is Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and wears a "second hat" as commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JFCC-ISR) of the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Prior to DIA, he was Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Requirements in August 2005 and in June 2006 was designated as the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (Acting).
Lieutenant General Burgess served as an Armor Platoon Leader and intelligence officer (S-2} of the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor, and the 179th Military Intelligence Detachment Executive Officer in the 197th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, Georgia, from 1974 to 1978. He was a Strategic Intelligence Staff Officer and aide-de-camp to the US Commander, Berlin, from 1978 to 1981. From 1982 to 1985 he served as an Assistant operations officer, Company Commander and operations officer (S-3) of the 124th Military Intelligence Battalion, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He then served as Deputy G-2 and Executive Officer, 106th Military Intelligence Battalion, 6th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Richardson, Alaska, from 1987 to 1990. In 1990 he served as an Assistant Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. From June 1991 to June 1993, he commanded the 125th Military Intelligence Battalion and then served as deputy chief of staff for intelligence (G-2), 25th Infantry Division (Light) until June 1994 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. From July 1995 to June 1997, he commanded the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade in Panama. Thereafter, he served as joint intelligence director (J-2), Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Fort Bragg, North Carolina from July 1997 to June 1999, J2 US Southern Command from July 1999 until May 2003, and Director for Intelligence, Joint Staff from June 2003 to July 2005.
Awards
His personal awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters), Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (Four Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, NATO Medal for Yugoslavia, Army General Staff Identification Badge, Joint Staff Identification Badge and Parachutist Badge.
Education
- Undergraduate degree and Reserve Officers Training Corps commission in Military Intelligence, Auburn University, 1974
- Master of Science, Education, University of Southern California, 1980,
- Master of Military Arts and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1986
- Advanced Military Studies Program
- Air War College.