WASHINGTON – Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Rice, the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, was confirmed Thursday as the next director of the Air National Guard by the U.S. Senate.
Rice will be promoted to lieutenant general.
"I'm honored and humbled to be chosen to lead the outstanding Airmen of the Air National Guard," Rice said. "I look forward to working with Air Force leaders and the adjutants general to shape our force for the future."
In his new role, Rice is responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, plans and programs affecting more than 105,000 Guard members and civilians in more than 90 wings and 175 geographically separated units across 213 locations throughout the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.
"Major General Rice's diverse career experience – and especially his time as adjutant general – uniquely qualify him to be an outstanding leader of our Air National Guard, with a deep understanding of state and territorial missions in addition to his federal experience," said Army Gen. Frank Grass, the chief of the National Guard Bureau. "I am delighted to hear the news of his confirmation for this critical role at a complex and challenging time."
As adjutant general, Rice oversaw the administration and operation of the Massachusetts National Guard to ensure troops were trained, equipped and mission-ready to support national security objectives. He also was charged with protecting life and property and preserving peace, order and public safety in times of natural disaster and civil emergency.
His tenure as adjutant general saw the 9,000-strong Massachusetts National Guard activated for state service multiple times, including for winter storms that brought record snowfall.
Rice was commissioned in 1980 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.
Following graduate school, he attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, receiving the pilot badge in 1982 and later serving in England, where he flew the F-111 Aardvark tactical attack aircraft.
Rice joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing in 1989 to fly the A-10 Thunderbolt II low-altitude close-air-support aircraft. He then served as squadron commander, operations group commander, wing commander, and Air National Guard Commander.
He mobilized numerous times since 1995, including deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq. He also served as the commander, Air Force Forces, Exercise Eastern Falcon in the U.S. Central Command Area of Operations, where he supervised F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighter aircraft units deployed to Kuwait in 2004, to Jordan and Oman in 2005, and to Pakistan in 2006.