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            LIEUTENANT GENERAL RONALD  T. KADISHLt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish is Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C. The agency is presidentially-chartered and mandated by Congress to develop and acquire highly effective ballistic missile defense systems for defense of U.S. allies and deployed forces. Additionally, the organization will develop options, and if directed, acquire systems for ballistic missile defense of the United States. As director, the general is the acquisition executive for all ballistic missile defense systems and programs. The general entered the Air Force in 1970 after graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at St. Joseph's University. He was the Program Director for the F-15, F-16 and C-17 system program offices, as well as Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance for the B-1 System Program Office. He is a senior pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, principally in the C-130. Before assuming his current position, he commanded the Electronic Systems Center. The general was responsible for the Air Force's Center of Excellence for command and control systems, handling more than $3 billion in programs annually.EDUCATION1970  Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pa. 1975  Master's degree in business administration, University of Utah 1975  Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1981  Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1988  Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 1990  Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.ASSIGNMENTS1.  June 1970 - June 1971, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla. 2.  June 1971 - June 1974, C-130E pilot and instructor pilot, 62nd Tactical Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark. 3.  June 1974 - June 1976, wing operations staff officer, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark. 4.  June 1976 - June 1977, Air Force Institute of Technology's Education-with-Industry, Vought Corp., Dallas, Texas 5.  July 1977 - August 1980, subsystem co-production officer, F-16 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 6.  August 1980 - June 1981, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.  7.  June 1981 - March 1982, C-130E instructor pilot, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany 8.  April 1982 - January 1983, wing and base Chief, Aircrew Standardization and Evaluation Division, 435th Tactical Airlift Wing, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany 9.  January 1983 - July 1984, operations officer, 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany 10.  July 1984 - September 1985, Director for Manufacturing and Quality Assurance, B-1 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 11.  September 1985 - July 1987, executive to the Commander, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 12.  July 1987 - June 1988, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 13.  June 1988 - July 1989, Chief, Program Integration Division, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 14.  July 1989 - May 1990, military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 15.  May 1990 - September 1990, student, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va. 16.  September 1990 - August 1992, F-15 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 17.  August 1992 - September 1993, F-16 Program Director, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 18.  October 1993 - August 1996, Program Director, C-17 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 19.  August 1996 - June 1999, Commander, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass. 20.  June 1999 - January 2002, Director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 21.  January 2002 - present, Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.FLIGHT INFORMATIONRating:  Senior pilotFlight hours:  More than 2,500Aircraft flown:  C-130MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONSDefense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf clusterDistinguished Service MedalLegion of MeritMeritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clustersAir MedalAir Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clustersAir Force Outstanding Unit AwardAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with three oak leaf clustersCombat Readiness MedalAir Force Recognition RibbonNational Defense Service Medal with two bronze starsAir Force Overseas Ribbon - LongAir Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and bronze oak leaf clustersSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship RibbonAir Force Training RibbonEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONSecond Lieutenant  June 3, 1970First Lieutenant  Dec. 14, 1971Captain  Dec. 14, 1973Major   Nov. 28, 1979Lieutenant Colonel  March 1, 1985Colonel  Sept. 1, 1989Brigadier General   Sept. 1, 1993Major General  Oct. 1, 1995Lieutenant General  Aug. 16, 1996 (Current as of June 2004)