Leslie F. Kenne
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Leslie F. Kenne is a retired
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
in the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
, a rank she attained in 1999, and the first woman to attain that rank in the Air Force. She is currently on the board of directors of
SRI International SRI International (SRI) is an American nonprofit scientific research institute and organization headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The trustees of Stanford University established SRI in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic ...
, Harris Corporation,
Oshkosh Corporation Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufac ...
and Unisys Corporation. Kenne also serves on the Air Force Studies Board's Development Planning Roundtable, part of the National Academy of Sciences. A graduate of Auburn University, Kenne served in a variety of roles, including director of three major programs: the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared System for Night, the F-16 and the
F-35 The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide elect ...
. She has won numerous awards, including the
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
, the
Defense Distinguished Service Medal The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the ...
, the Legion of Merit, the
Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
and the
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: * Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Me ...
.


Early life and education

In 1970, Kenne graduated from Auburn University with a degree in aerospace engineering and had participated in Auburn's ROTC program, and in 1971, she entered the Air Force. She served as a flight line maintenance officer in operations, and attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1974. She would later attain a Master of Science in procurement management from
Webster University Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate program ...
.


Early career

After graduating from the Test Pilot School, she served as a test and evaluation project manager, and in test and evaluation supervisory positions. Kenne has served first as a division chief, and during a second tour, as a deputy director in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. She has directed three major programs—the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting
Infrared Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
System for Night, the F-16 and the
F-35 The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide elect ...
. She also has served as Vice Commander of Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, and the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. Prior to assuming her current position, Kenne commanded the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.


Later career

Kenne was Deputy Chief of Staff for Warfighting Integration, Headquarters
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
,
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
She was responsible to the
United States Secretary of the Air Force The secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the secretary of the Department of the Air Force, (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United ...
and the Chief of staff for forming and executing policy and strategy to integrate command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to enable more effective employment of air and space power in support of national objectives. General Kenne also provided guidance and direction to four field operating agencies: the Air Force Command and Control & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center; the Air Force Communications Agency; the Air Force Spectrum Management Office; and the Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation. She retired from the United States Air Force on September 1, 2003. In February 2008, she joined
SRI International SRI International (SRI) is an American nonprofit scientific research institute and organization headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The trustees of Stanford University established SRI in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic ...
's board of directors. She also retired from Oshkosh's Board of directors starting February 2020. In 2009, she was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame.


Effective dates of promotion

Source:


Personal life

She spent some portion of her adulthood in Ohio. She lives in Virginia.


See also

*
List of female United States military generals and flag officers This is a list of female United States military generals and flag officers, that are either currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or are retired. They are listed under their respective service branches, which make up the Department of Def ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenne, Leslie 1949 births Living people Auburn University alumni Female generals of the United States Air Force Recipients of the Legion of Merit Directors of SRI International Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal 21st-century American women People from Ohio