Ronald L . Burgess , Jr . Lieutenant General Ronald Lee Burgess , Jr . , USA ( born September 16 , 1952 ) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General . His last military assignment was as the 17th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance ( JFCC - ISR ) . Prior to that , he was Director of the Intelligence Staff in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , From August 2005 to May 2007 he was the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Customer Outcomes ( Requirements ) . On May 17 , 2007 , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced that LTG Burgess had been nominated to be the Director of the Intelligence Staff ( DIS ) for the Office of the DNI . While the DIS position does not require Senate confirmation , it does require the Senate Armed Services Committee to confirm Burgess ' 3 - Star Rank as the DIS . After the resignation of Gen . Michael Hayden as Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence , Burgess was selected by President George W . Bush in June 2006 to fill the position in an acting capacity until October 2007 . During this time , he was still serving at the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Customer Outcomes ( Requirements ) and transitioned to the Director of the Intelligence Staff . He served as the Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence for a second time from January 2009 to February 2009 . Biography / Education . Burgess was commissioned in Military Intelligence through the Reserve Officers ' Training Corps in 1974 . He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Auburn University , a Master of Science degree in Education from the University of Southern California in 1980 , and a Master of Military Arts and Science from the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College in 1986 . While attending Auburn University he was a brother in the Beta Zeta chapter of Theta Xi and served as the Chapter President from 1973 - 1974 . His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course , the Military Intelligence Officers Advanced Course , the Command and General Staff College , the Advanced Military Studies Program , and the Air War College . Military Assignments . Staff assignments include : Assistant Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence , Washington , D . C . in 1990 ; G - 2 , 25th Infantry Division ( Light ) from May 1993 to May 1994 at Schofield Barracks , Hawaii . He served as Director of Intelligence , J - 2 , Joint Special Operations Command ( JSOC ) , Fort Bragg , North Carolina , from May 1997 to June 1999 ; Director of Intelligence , J - 2 , U . S . Southern Command from June 1999 until May 2003 , and Director for Intelligence , J - 2 , the Joint Staff from June 2003 to July 2005 . LTG Burgess assumed duty as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Customer Outcomes in August 2005 transitioning to Director of the Intelligence Staff in February 2007 . He was dual - hatted twice as the Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence from May 2006 to October 2007 , and January to February 2009 . Command assignments include : Company Commander , 124th Military Intelligence Battalion , 24th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) at Fort Stewart , Georgia ; command of the 125th Military Intelligence Battalion , 25th Infantry Division ( Light ) , Schofield Barracks , Hawaii , from April 1991 to May 1993 ; and command of the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade in Panama from June 1995 to May 1997 . LTG Burgess became the 17th director of the Defense Intelligence Agency on 18 March 2009 . Retirement and Post Retirement . Lieutenant General Burgess departed DIA on July 24 , 2012 and officially retired from the US Army on 1 September 2012 . Army Lieutenant General Michael T . Flynn , who had served as an Assistant Director of National Intelligence relieved General Burgess . At the change of command ceremony , Lieutenant General Burgess received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal from Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) James R . Clapper , Jr . . General Burgess also received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal 1OLC for his service as the DIA Director . In December 2012 , Lieutenant General Burgess joined Auburn University as Senior Counsel for National Security Programs , Cyber Programs and Military Affairs . In this capacity he works across the university to interface and coordinate with federal , state and commercial entities on all matters related to these areas . Personal life . Lieutenant General ( Ret ) Burgess and his wife Marta have five children : Lee , Regina , Julia , Mary , and John and five grandchildren . Awards and decorations . During his career LTG Burgess was recognized with awards by the governments of Colombia and Bolivia . Additionally , he was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania by the President of Romania , and was inducted into the Legion of Honour after selection by the President of France . LTG Burgess is a recipient of the Auburn Alumni Association ' s Lifetime Achievement Award ( 2012 ) .