Major
General Richard C. Cosgrave is the chief of staff, also serving as the commander, New
Jersey Air National Guard.
He received his Air Force commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June 1965. The general was honorably discharged in November 1973 and accepted a commission in the New Jersey Air National Guard. A command pilot with over 4,500 flying hours, the general has flown the T-33, F-4C, D, and E models, the F-102, F-106 and F-16 fighter aircraft and the KC-135E Stratotanker.
1965 Bachelor of science degree in education, Ohio State University, Columbus
1979 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1983 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1993 National and International Security Management, The Kennedy School, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass.
1. June 1965 - September 1965, inactive Reserves, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel
Center, Denver, Colo.
2. September 1965 - November 1966, undergraduate pilot training, Reese Air Force Base,
Texas
3. November 1966 - September 1967, student pilot and systems radar operator, Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base, Ariz.
4. September 1967 - June 1968, F-4D pilot, 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon Royal
Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
5. June 1968 - January 1969, student, interceptor training, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
6. January 1969 - November 1971, F-106 aircraft commander and operations training officer,
48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
7. November 1971 - June 1972, ASTRA planning and programs officer, Directorate of Plans,
Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. June 1972 - November 1972, assistant executive, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the
Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. November 1972 - November 1973, weapons instructor pilot, 4757th Air Defense Squadron,
Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
10. November 1973 - November 1976, F-106 fighter interceptor pilot, 119th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron, New Jersey Air National Guard, Atlantic City, N.J.
11. November 1976 - July 1978, aircraft systems flight evaluation officer, 177th
Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Atlantic City, N.J.
12. July 1978 - August 1982, deputy commander for operations, then director of operations,
177th Fighter Interceptor Group, Atlantic City, N.J.
13. August 1982 - June 1983, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair,
Washington, D.C.
14. June 1983 - October 1989, director of operations, then commander, 177th Fighter
Interceptor Group, Atlantic City, N.J.
15. October 1989 - October 1991, commander, 108th Tactical Fighter Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
16. October 1991 - July 1995, commander, 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J., (The
108th converted from a fighter wing to a refueling wing in October 1991, KC-135E
Stratotankers.)
17. July 1995 - May 1999, Air National Guard assistant to the commander, Air
Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
18. May 1999 - present, chief of staff, also serving as commander, New Jersey Air National
Guard.
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,500
Aircraft flown: T-33, F-4C/D/E, F-102, F-106, F-16, and KC-135E
Pilot wings from: Reese Air Force Base, Texas
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Vietnam Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
New Jersey Medal of Honor with three devices
New Jersey Merit Award with 21 devices
New Jersey Desert Storm Ribbon
New Jersey Governor's Unit Award with device
Retired civil service
Second Lieutenant Jun 11, 1965
First Lieutenant Mar 2, 1967
Captain Sep 2, 1968
Major Sep 10, 1976
Lieutenant Colonel Sep 10, 1980
Colonel Dec 3, 1983
Brigadier General Nov 7, 1991
Major General Aug 2, 1996
(Current as of February 2000)
The date of publication
indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily
reflect the date of printing.