Major General Richard S. "Beef" Haddad (Ret) retired after 35 years of service in 2016 as Vice Commander, Air Force Reserve Command. While working in the Air Force Reserve, he served as Deputy Chief in the Pentagon and directed Planning and Programming (A5/8). Additionally, General Haddad sat on the Air Force Board that plans, programs, budgets, and executes future warfighting capabilities for the Air Force.
As Vice Commander in the Air Force Reserve Command, General Haddad directed the daily operations of the command, with 70,000 Citizen Airmen and more than 300 aircraft among three numbered air forces, 33 flying wings, 10 flying groups and one space wing.
General Haddad is a veteran special operations pilot with hundreds of hours of combat flying in the AC130 Spectre Gunship and the MC130 Combat Talon during Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. His aerial combat awards include three Distinguished Flying Crosses with “V for Valor” device, and five Air Medals. He has deployed to combat zones eight times during his career.
Following September 11th, General Haddad commanded the 711th Special Operations Squadron through operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, during which the unit compiled more than 5,000 combat hours of accident-free flying and is still recognized as the most combat-decorated Reserve flying unit.
General Haddad was commissioned through the Air Force Academy in 1981. He served in a variety of flying and command positions in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve. General Haddad was the first Air Force general officer nominated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to serve as Commander, Special Operations Command Korea.
In his civilian job, he is an American Airlines pilot. He is married to Ginger, a retired Air Force Colonel and Judge Advocate. They have two daughters, Alexandra, an attorney, and Victoria, MD, who is currently in her emergency medicine residency in Saginaw, MI at Central Michigan University.
Richard "Beef" Haddad
Senior Consultant
Major General USAF (Retired)
Current Work
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Pilot, American Airlines
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Florida Defense Support Task Force Member, State of Florida
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Mission United Advisory Board Member, Suncoast Team, Mission United
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Member, Tampa Bay Defense Alliance Board of Directors
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Board Member, USAFA Falcon Foundation
Education
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Leadership Decision Making Course, Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education (2011)
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U.S.-Russia Security Program, Harvard University (2009)
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Master of Business Administration (MBA), Touro University International (2006)
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Bachelor of Science, Management, U.S. Air Force Academy (1976-81)
usaf leadership
ASSIGNMENTS
Retired as a Major General (2016)
Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.; Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. ; Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.; Special Assistant to the Commander, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.; Commander, Special Operations Command Korea, U.S. Forces Korea and United Nations Command Special Operations Component; and Deputy Commanding General, Combined Unconventional Warfare Task Force, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea.; Commander, 23rd Air Force, and the Director of Operations, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 23rd Air Force, and the Director, Air, Space and Information Operations, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Vice Commander, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.; Deputy and Battle Staff Director, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. ; Commander, 711th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. ; etc.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000 military hours
Aircraft flown: C-130E/H, AC-130H, C-130A, AC-130A, MC-130E and C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and silver and three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (government of Kuwait)