Major General Albert P. (Putt) Richards, Jr. is the Mobilization Assistant to
the commander, United States Pacific Command (COMUSPACOM). As such he serves
as the principal advisor to COMUSPACOM on all reserve forces mobilization matters.
The General entered the Air Force in 1967 as a distinguished graduate of the
Air Force ROTC program. After graduation from pilot training he completed flying
assignments in Vietnam, Thailand, and the United States. He joined the California
Air National Guard in 1978, and transferred to the Hawaii Air National Guard
in 2000. He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, two Operations Groups, and two
Wings and has served at Numbered Air Force, Independent Agency and Major Command
Headquarters. General Richards is a Command Pilot and has flown more than 5,500
hours including more than 1200 combat hours in 365 combat missions in Southeast
Asia and the Balkans.
1967 Bachelor of arts degree in international relations, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst
1970 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1974 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1974 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, by correspondence
1976 Master of arts degree in personnel management, Pepperdine University, Malibu,
Calif.
2003 Program for Senior Executives on National and International Security, Harvard
University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
1. June 1967 - June 1968, student, undergraduate pilot training,
3640th Pilot Training Wing, Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
2. July 1968 - May 1969, F4E pilot, Combat Crew Training, 436th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, Homestead Air Force Base, Fla.
3. May 1969 - August 1970, F4E pilot, 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead
Air Force Base, Fla.
4. August 1970 - November 1970, OV-10 Combat Crew Training, Hurlburt Field,
Fla.
5. November 1970 - January 1971, OV-10 forward air controller, 3rd Brigade,
1st Calvary Division, Xuan Loc Republic of Vietnam
6. January 1971 - November 1971, OV-10 instructor pilot, III DASC TASK FORCE,
Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam
7. November 1971 - April 1972, F4D pilot, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman
Air Force Base, N.M.
8. April 1972 - November 1972, F4D pilot, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli
Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
9. November 1972 - July 1973, F4D instructor pilot, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
10. July 1973 - January 1974, aide to the commander, 12th Air Force, Bergstrom
Air Force Base, Texas
11. January 1974 - August 1974, aide to the commander, Air Force Operational
Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
12. August 1974 - September 1975, flight commander, F4D instructor pilot, 417th
Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
13. September 1975 - September 1976, chief F4 standardization/evaluation, 49th
Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
14. September 1976 - October 1978, chief, special fighter assignments branch,
Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
15. October 1978 - November 1983, forward air controller, O2-A, 196th Tactical
Air Support Squadron, Ontario Air National Guard Base, Calif.
16. November 1983 - May 1987, F4C/E instructor pilot, operations officer, 196th
Tactical Fighter Squadron, California Air National Guard, March Air Force Base,
Calif.
18. May 1987 - April 1989, flight commander, 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
March Air Force Base, Calif.
19. April 1989 - July 1990, commander, 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron, March
Air Force Base, Calif.
20. July 1990 - June 1992, deputy commander for operations, 163rd Reconnaissance
Group, March Air Force Base, Calif.
21. June 1992 - June 1995, operations group commander, 163rd Operations Group,
March Air Force Base, Calif.
22. June 1995 - September 1996, vice commander, 163rd Air Refueling Wing, March
Air Reserve Base, Calif.
23. September 1996 - September 2000, commander, 163rd Air Refueling Wing, March
Air Reserve Base, Calif.
24. September 2000 - September 2003, commander, 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National
Guard, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
25. Oct 2003 - present, Mobilization assistant to the commander, United States
Pacific Command, Camp Smith Hawaii
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 5,500
Aircraft flown: T-41, T-37, T-38, F4C, F4D, F4E, RF4C, OV-10, O2A, T-39, KC-135, C-130, F-15
Pilot wings from: Laredo Air Force Base, Texas
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with seventeen oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Short Tour
Air Force Longevity Service Award with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Vietnam Gallantry cross with palm
NATO Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
1958 - Eagle Scout
1967 - Distinguished Graduate, Air Force ROTC, University of Massachusetts
1997 - 1999 Air Mobility Command Reserve Forces Policy Council
1998 - 2003 Air Directors Field Advisory Council
1999 - I.G. Brown Command Excellence Award
2000 - 2003 Chair, Air National Guard KC-135 Weapons System Council
Second Lieutenant Jun 4, 1967
First Lieutenant Dec 7, 1968
Captain Jun 7, 1970
Major Jun 2, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 8, 1985
Colonel May 2, 1992
Brigadier General Sep 9, 2000
Major General Feb 13, 2004
(Current as of May 2004)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.