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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      100310-F-JZ026-970.JPGEngage On
        
        100310-F-JZ026-970.JPGLIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD C. HARDINGLt. Gen. Richard C. Harding is The Judge Advocate General (TJAG), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In that capacity, General Harding serves as the Legal Adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force and all officers and agencies of the Department of the Air Force. He directs all judge advocates in the performance of their duties and is responsible for the professional oversight of more than 2,200 judge advocates, 350 civilian attorneys, 1,400 enlisted paralegals and 500 civilians in the Total Force Judge Advocate General's Corps worldwide. General Harding oversees military justice, operational and international law, and civil law functions at every level of command.
General Harding, the son of an Air Force officer and grandson of a Naval officer, entered the Air Force with a direct commission in 1980. Since that time, he has served in a variety of assignments as a judge advocate, to include serving six assignments as a staff judge advocate at the unified command, major command, numbered air force and wing levels. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the Commander, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. **EDUCATION** 
1975 Bachelor of Science degree, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
1979 Juris Doctor, University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville
1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1994 Air War College, by seminar**ASSIGNMENTS**1. January 1980 - March 1983, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany 
2. March 1983 - July 1986, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, Dyess AFB, Texas 
3. July 1986 - August 1988, Deputy Chief, later, Chief, Executive Services Division, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C 
4. August 1988 - May 1990, Chief of the Special Law Branch, later, Chief of the Information and Privacy Law Branch, General Law Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 
5. May 1990 - July 1992, Chief of Officer Assignments, Judge Advocate General Professional Development Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 
6. July 1992 - July 1995, Staff Judge Advocate, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, Texas 
7. July 1995 - July 1998, Staff Judge Advocate, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 
8. October 1998 - April 2000, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill. 
9. April 2000 - June 2002, Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. 
10. June 2002 - July 2004, Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, La. 
11. July 2004 - May 2006, Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
12. May 2006 - June 2007, Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
13. June 2007 - February 2010, Commander, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Bolling AFB, D.C.
14. February 2010 - present, The Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. October 1998 - April 2000, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a colonel 
2. April 2000 - June 2002, Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a colonel **MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS** 
Distinguished Service Medal 
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster 
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster**OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS**1985 Outstanding Attorney of the Year, 15th Air Force and Strategic Air Command
1995 and 1998 Outstanding legal office, Pacific Air Forces
1996 and 1997 Outstanding Senior Attorney, Pacific Air Forces
2002 Outstanding Senior Attorney, Air Combat Command**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**Captain Jan. 6, 1980 
Major Aug. 1, 1986 
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1992 
Colonel May 1, 1997 
Brigadier General May 3, 2006 
Lieutenant General Feb. 2, 2010
(Current as of April 2014)
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