Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air ForceOfficial Portrait of R. Ryan MesserEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
                      
                      Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                September 08, 1997Second LieutenantFirst Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 September 08, 1999First LieutenantCaptain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          September 08, 2001CaptainMajor                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            May 01, 2007MajorLieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               September 01, 2012Lieutenant ColonelColonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          May 01, 2017ColonelBrigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                June 10, 2022Brigadier General
            Brigadier General R. RYAN MESSERBrig. Gen. Ryan Messer is the Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He leads a staff of military and civilians in the annual development of the Air Force’s 30-Year Resource Allocation Plan. Brig. Gen. Messer is also responsible for the development and integration of the Air Force strategy and long-range plans to ensure the Air Force builds and employs effective air, space and cyber forces to achieve national defense objectives.
Brig. Gen. Messer received his commission in 1997 after graduating from Louisiana State University. He has served as an instructor weapons systems officer, weapons officer and USAF Weapons School Instructor in the F-15E. Brig. Gen. Messer has commanded at the squadron and twice at the wing level, and his staff assignments include service at the Headquarters Air Staff, International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan, the Joint Staff and Air Combat Command. He is a Master Navigator with more than 2,300 flying hours including 230 combat hours, and has supported combat Operations Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia.**EDUCATION**
1997 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.
2004 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science w/ distinction, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2009 Masters of Arts, Security Studies, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2016 Adaptive and Agile Leadership Networks Concentration, Eisenhower School, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2016 OSD Fundamentals of Human-Centered Design Program, LUMA Institute, Arlington, Va.
2018 Leading Strategically Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2018 Leadership Development Program, McChrystal Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2019 Capital Hill Workshop, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2019 Enterprise Leadership Program, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. October 1997–March 1999, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
2. April 1999–July 2000, Student, F-15E, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C
3. July 2000–July 2003, F-15E WSO, Chief, Air to Ground Munitions, Training Officer, 492nd Fighter Squadron; and F-15E Instructor WSO, Chief, Air to Ground Division, 48th Operational Support Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
4. July 2003–January 2004, F-15E Instructor WSO, 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. January 2004–June 2004, U.S. Air Force Weapons School Student, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. July 2004–April 2006, F-15E Weapons Officer, Chief, Air to Ground Tactics, 366th Operational Support Squadron; and Flight Commander, 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
7. May 2006–August 2008, F-15E Weapons School Instructor, Air to Ground Flight Commander, 17th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School; and Subject Matter Expert, 561st Joint Tactics Squadron, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. September 2008–December 2009, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
9. January 2010–March 2012, Chief, Force Structure Branch, Air Force Strategic Plans and Programs (A8), Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. April 2012–June 2012, Student, F-15E, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
11. July 2012–January 2013, Director of Operations, 17th Weapons Squadron, U. S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. January 2013–December 2014, Commander, 17th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. December 2014–June 2015, Deputy Commandant, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. July 2015–June 2016, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
15. June 2016–June 2017, Chief, Multinational Operations Division, Joint Staff J3, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. June 2017–June 2018, Chief of Staff, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Joint Staff J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2018–June 2019, Vice Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
18. June 2019 – July 2021, Commander, 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
19. August 2021–June 2022, Deputy Director of Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
20. July 2022–July 2023, Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
21. July 2023–present, Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. June 2016–June 2017, Chief, Multinational Operations Division, Joint Staff J3, Pentagon, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. June 2017–June 2018, Chief of Staff, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Joint Staff J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating:  master navigator
Flight hours:  more than 2,300, including 230 combat hours
Primary aircraft flown:  F-15E
Other aircraft flown:  B-1, B-2, B-52, HC-130J, HH-60G, F-16D, MH-60K, QF-4E, T-34, T-38, T-39 and TU-2S**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
NATO Medal
French National Defense Medal with gold echelon**OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS**
2004 Distinguished graduate and academic award, U.S. Air Force Weapons School
2008 U.S. Air Force O’Malley Award
2008 U.S. Air Force Kenney Award
2016 Distinguished graduate, Eisenhower School, National Defense University
(Current as of August 2023)Department of the Air Force Logo