Richard L. Anderson is the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. As Assistant Secretary, he leads the Department of the Air Force organization that develops policy and provides oversight for all matters related to manpower, military and civilian personnel, the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve, Civil Air Patrol and readiness support for 680,000 Airman, Guardians and their families.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Anderson represented the 51st House District in the Virginia General Assembly, where he chaired the House Committee on Science and Technology and the Joint House–Senate Military and Veterans Caucus, leading initiatives that impacted 800,000 Virginia veterans and their dependents.
Mr. Anderson received his Air Force commission in 1979 and retired in 2009 after 30 years of military service in the missile and space career field and in Air Force international affairs. His operational experience was as a missileer in the Titan II and Minuteman II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile weapon systems. His Joint experience included assignments at Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Headquarters U.S. Atlantic Command, Headquarters U.S Pacific Command and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He earned the Command Space Operations Badge and the Master Missile Operator Badge during his service.
Concurrent with his Air Force service, Mr. Anderson also served as the National Commander of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol), headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama from 1993–1996. From 2011–2013, he chaired the Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors, a Congressionally-created body that governs and oversees the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary on behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force.
Active in general aviation, Mr. Anderson holds a Federal Aviation Administration commercial pilot certificate with 2,100 flying hours.
EDUCATION
1979 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
1982 Master of Arts, Public Administration, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
1984 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1993 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1998 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Political Leaders Program, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. July 1979–December 1979, Student, Titan II Undergraduate Missile Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and Titan II Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2. December 1979–March 1984, Missile Combat Crew Commander, Instructor, and Standardization Evaluator, 308th Strategic Missile Wing (Titan II), Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. March 1984–August 1990, Protocol Officer to the Commander in Chief of Strategic Air Command, Executive Officer to the Inspector General, and Chief of Current ICBM Programs, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
4. August 1990–July 1992, Assistant Operations Officer and Operations Officer, 508th Missile Squadron, 351st Missile Wing (Minuteman II), Whiteman AFB, Mo.
5. July 1992–June 1993, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. June 1993–July 1997, Executive Officer to the U.S. Atlantic Command J5 and Chief of the Commander in Chief Decision Processes Division, Headquarters U.S. Atlantic Command, Norfolk, Va. (concurrent August 1993–August 1996, National Commander, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol), Maxwell AFB, Ala.)
7. July 1997–June 1998, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 1998–July 2001, Chief, Air Force Programs and Security Assistance Country Director for South Asia, Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii
9. July 2001–October 2003, Chief, Staff Action Group, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (concurrent October 2002–October 2003, Chief, Air Force Auxiliary Division (Civil Air Patrol), Air Force Directorate of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.)
10. October 2003–July 2006, Chief, Pacific Division, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2006–February 2009, Military Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Technology Security and National Disclosure), Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. January 2010–January 2018, Delegate, 51st House District, Virginia General Assembly, Prince William County and Richmond, Va. (concurrent February 2011–February 2013, Chairman, Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors, Maxwell AFB, Ala.)
13. September 2025–present, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Civil Air Patrol General Carl A. Spaatz Award #193
Civil Air Patrol Hall of Honor Inductee #35
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Life Member, Air Force Association D. W. Steele Chapter 239, Arlington, Va.
Life Member, Association of Air Force Missileers, Johnstown, Colo.
Life Member, American Legion Post 364, Woodbridge, Va.
Life Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1503, Woodbridge, Va.
Life Member, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 48, Woodbridge, Va.
Life Member, Military Officers Association of America, Mt. Vernon Chapter, Fairfax, Va.
Member, Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 186, Manassas, Va. Member, Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society, Fredericksburg, Va.
(Current as of December 2025)