General Ronald Wilburn Yates (born October 3, 1938)Who's Who in America - 1987-1988, 44th Edition (pub. 1986) served as Commander,

Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Com ...

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...

, Ohio. As AFMC Commander, Yates was responsible for research, development, test, acquisition and logistics support for the Air Force from 18 specialized centers and 116,000 military and civilian employees around the world.

Background

Yates graduated from the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...

in 1960. He has served as a test pilot, flying a variety of modified fighter aircraft, as program manager for a variety of weapon systems, and as commander of a test wing. General Yates also served as commander of

Air Force Systems Command The Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command. The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems. Ove ...

. He is a command test pilot with more than 4,400 flying hours, and flew 100 combat missions in Southeast Asia. In March 1994 he was inducted into the AFMC

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Or ...

. He retired from active duty on July 1, 1995.

Education

*1960 Bachelor of Science degree in military science,

, Colorado Springs, Colorado *1964

Squadron Officer School Squadron Officer School (SOS), is a 5.5-week-long Professional Military Education (PME) course for U.S. Air Force and Space Force Captains, Department of the Air Force Civilian (DAFC) equivalents and International Officers. It fulfills the U.S ...

Maxwell AFB Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...

, Alabama *1969 Aerospace Research Pilot School,

Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...

, California *1970 Master of Science degree in systems management,

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

*1970

Air Command and Staff College The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...

, Maxwell AFB, Alabama *1973

Defense Systems Management College The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) is a corporate university of the United States Department of Defense offering "acquisition, technology, and logistics" (AT&L) training to military and Federal civilian staff and Federal contractors. DAU is ...

Fort Belvoir Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fair ...

, Virginia *1977

Industrial College of the Armed Forces The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University. It was renamed on September 6, 20 ...

, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Assignments

*June 1960 - November 1962, student, aviation training, Spence AB, Georgia,

Webb AFB Webb Air Force Base , previously named Big Spring Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force facility of the Air Training Command that operated from 1951 to 1977 in West Texas within the current city limits of Big Spring. Webb AFB was a majo ...

and

Perrin AFB Perrin Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-78, NORAD ID: Z-78) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located southeast of North Texas Regional Airport, Texas. It was closed in 1969. History Perrin Air Force ...

, Texas *December 1962 - June 1964, pilot, 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Itazuke Air Base, Japan *June 1964 - June 1966, pilot, 509th Fighter Interceptor Squadron,

Clark AB Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...

, Philippines *July 1966 - December 1970, student, test pilot, Aerospace Research Pilot School; then Chief, Aerospace Research Pilot Branch, Aerospace Research Pilot School,

Edwards AFB Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is Ed ...

, California *January 1971 - January 1973, Director, Senior Officer Management, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command,

Andrews AFB Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...

, Maryland *January 1973 - July 1973, student, Defense Systems Management College,

, Virginia *July 1973 - August 1976, Director, Development Test, A-10 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division,

Wright-Patterson AFB Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wri ...

, Ohio *August 1976 - June 1977, student,

Fort Lesley J. McNair Fort Lesley J. McNair is a United States Army post located on the tip of Greenleaf Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. To the peninsula's west is the Washington Cha ...

, Washington, D.C. *July 1977 - March 1979, program element monitor, F-16 program, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. *April 1979 - June 1980, Deputy Program Director, F-15 program, Aeronautical Systems Division,

, Ohio *July 1980 - July 1981, Program Director, F-15 program, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio *July 1981 - April 1983, Commander, 4950th Test Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio *April 1983 - August 1983, Director, tactical systems, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio *August 1983 - July 1986, System Program Director, F-16 System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio *July 1986 - January 1989, Director, Tactical Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. *January 1989 - April 1990, Principal Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C. *April 1990 - June 1992, Commander,

, Andrews AFB, Maryland *July 1992 - July 1995, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

Flight information

*Rating:

Command pilot U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight",The standard by which flight status has bee ...

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing ...

*Flight hours: More than 4,400 *Aircraft flown: More than 50 aircraft types

Awards and decorations

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 ...

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

with

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...

* Distinguished Flying Cross *

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 Med ...

with two oak leaf clusters *

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

with three oak leaf clusters * Air Force Commendation ribbon

Air Force Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

with two oak leaf clusters *

Vietnam Service Medal The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces established on 8 July 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The medal is awarded to recognize service during the Vietnam War by all members of the U.S. A ...

with three bronze stars *

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ( vi, Anh-Dũng Bội-Tinh) is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal wa ...

with Palm *

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, also known as the Vietnam Campaign Medal ( vi, Chiến Dịch Bội Tinh), is a South Vietnamese military campaign medal which was created in 1949, and awarded to French military personnel during the First ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yates, Ronald 1938 births Living people United States Air Force generals United States Air Force Academy alumni Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School alumni Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Air Medal American test pilots Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States)