John W. Rosa

Last updated
John W. Rosa Jr.
John W Rosa.jpg
John W. Rosa Jr.
Birth nameJohn William Rosa Jr.
Born (1951-09-28) September 28, 1951 (age 72)
Springfield, Illinois
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Years of service19732005
Rank US-O9 insignia.svg Lieutenant General
Commands held 35th Fighter Squadron
366th Operations Support Squadron
49th Operations Group
20th Fighter Wing
347th Wing
United States Air Force Academy
Awards Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Other workPresident, The Citadel

John William Rosa Jr. (born September 28, 1951) [1] is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General who served as President of his alma mater The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina from 2006 to 2018. [2] While on active duty, Rosa also served as the sixteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. [3] [4]

Contents

Background and education

Born in Springfield, Illinois and son of a career United States Navy Chief Petty Officer he attended high school in Jacksonville, Florida and was awarded a football scholarship to The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina where he won the starting quarterback job his sophomore year until sidelined with a knee injury; he is an initiate of the Theta Commission of the Kappa Alpha Order. Rosa entered the Air Force in May 1973 after receiving his bachelor's degree and his commission (via Air Force ROTC); he earned a master's degree in public administration from Golden Gate University in 1985. Rosa is also a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army War College and the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security Management, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Military assignments

After his commissioning, Rosa went to pilot training at Craig Air Force Base, Alabama, followed by fighter training at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. He flew the LTV A-7 Corsair II and Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina then the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; from 1980 to 1983, he served an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force as a pilot in Hunter and Jaguar aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland.

His command positions have included the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea; the 366th Operations Support Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; 49th Operations Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; and the 347th Rescue Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. He has also served on staff assignments at Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Force headquarters, and was Deputy Director for Operations on the Joint Staff. He also served as Commandant of the Air Command and Staff College and concluded his military career serving as the sixteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy before retiring from the Air Force in 2005.

Rosa is a Command Pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in the A-7, A-10, the Hunter and Jaguar aircraft, F-16, F-117A, HH-60G and HC-130; he also attended the Instructor Course of the USAF Weapons School. [5]

Awards and decorations

COMMAND PILOT WINGS.png US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
U.S. Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Meritorious Service ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation ribbon.svg Air Force Commendation Medal
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters
Organizational Excellence ribbon.svg Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Combat Readiness Medal ribbon.svg
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
AF OS Short Tour Ribbon.svg Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
AF OS Tour Ribbon.svg Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Silver oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Air Force Longevity Service ribbon.svg
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon.svg Air Force Training Ribbon

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Horner</span> United States Air Force general

Charles Albert Horner is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. He was born in Davenport, Iowa and attended the University of Iowa, as part of the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. On June 13, 1958, Horner was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve. During the Vietnam War, he flew in combat as a Wild Weasel pilot and received the Silver Star. During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, he commanded the American Air Force, as well as those of the American allies. During the Desert Shield phase of the conflict, Horner briefly served as Commander-in-Chief — Forward of United States Central Command; while General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. was still in the United States. He currently serves on the board of directors for the United States Institute of Peace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley C. Hosmer</span> United States Air Force general

Bradley Clark Hosmer is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as the twelfth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1991 to 1994. He was the first Academy graduate to return as superintendent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tad J. Oelstrom</span> United States Air Force general

Tad J. Oelstrom is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General who served as the Director of the National Security Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He also served as the fourteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel P. Leaf</span> United States General

Lieutenant General (Retired) Daniel P. "Fig" Leaf was Deputy Commander and Acting Commander, United States Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudius E. Watts III</span> American lieutenant general (1936–2023)

Claudius Elmer "Bud" Watts III was a United States Air Force lieutenant general and past president of The Citadel having served from 1989 to 1996. Watts Barracks is named in his honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce A. Carlson</span> United States Air Force general

Bruce Allen Carlson, was the 17th Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). He is a former four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the sixth Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The command conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. After over 37 years of service, he retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2009. Carlson served as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 2009 to October 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory S. Martin</span> United States Air Force general

General Gregory Stuart Martin is a retired U.S. Air Force general and Commander, Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Martin was a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours in various aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, C-20 and C-21. Upon retirement in 2005, Martin took a position consulting for Northrop Grumman and also served on an Air Force panel studying stealth aircraft technology, among other Pentagon and private industry roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William L. Kirk</span> United States Air Force general

William Leslie Kirk was a four-star general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe (CINCUSAFE/COMAAFCE) from 1987 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd W. Newton</span> United States Air Force general

Lloyd W. "Fig" Newton is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) four-star general who served as Commander, Air Education and Training Command (COMAETC) from 1997 to 2000. He was also the first African-American pilot in the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">833d Air Division</span> Military unit

The 833d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force (USAF) organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command (TAC), assigned to Twelfth Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 15 November 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James F. Hackler</span> United States Air Force general

Major General James Franklin Hackler Jr. was a United States Air Force general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas M. Fraser</span> US Air Force general

Douglas Malcolm Fraser, is a United States Air Force (USAF) general who served as the Commander, United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). He was the first USAF officer to become USSOUTHCOM's combatant commander. He previously served as Deputy Commander, United States Pacific Command from April 2008 to June 24, 2009. He assumed his final assignment on June 25, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary L. North</span> United States Air Force general

Gary Lewis North is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as commander of Pacific Air Forces and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, from August 19, 2009, to August 9, 2012. Pacific Air Forces is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports 45,000 airmen serving principally in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Korea and Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Viccellio Jr.</span> United States Air Force general

Henry Viccellio Jr. is a former General in the United States Air Force and the former commander of the Air Force Materiel Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie G. Shuler Jr.</span> United States Air Force general

Lieutenant General E.G. "Buck" Shuler Jr. was commander of Strategic Air Command's Eighth Air Force in Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Eighth Air Force is responsible for Strategic Air Command operations in the eastern half of the United States, Europe and the Middle East. It comprises about half of SAC's long-range force of manned bombers, tankers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William P. Acker</span> United States Air Force general

Major General William Preston Acker was a major general in the United States Air Force and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Rand</span> US Air Force general

Robin Rand is a retired United States Air Force general and former commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. He also concurrently served as the commander of Air Forces Strategic, United States Strategic Command, a command that provides combat-ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of combatant commanders. Rand's post made him responsible for the United States' three intercontinental ballistic missile wings, the two B-52 wings, and the only B-2 wing with two B-1 wings and a weapon's storage complex to be added in FY16, approximately one-third of the nation's nuclear deterrent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tod D. Wolters</span> US Air Force general

Tod Daniel Wolters is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander of U.S. European Command and concurrently as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He previously served as the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa. He assumed his capstone assignment at the European Command in Germany on May 2, 2019 and at the Allied Command in Belgium on May 3, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey L. Harrigian</span> US Air Force general

Jeffrey Lee Harrigian is a retired United States Air Force general who last served as the commander of United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa from May 2020 to June 2022. He concurrently served as the commander of Allied Air Command and director of the Joint Air Power Competence Center. He previously served as deputy commander and as commander of United States Air Forces Central Command. Raised in Sparks, Nevada, he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in International Affairs and was commissioned in 1985. He assumed his capstone assignment on May 1, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvatore A. Angelella</span> US Air Force officer (born c. 1959)

Lieutenant General Salvatore A. "Sam" Angelella is a retired United States Air Force officer who last served as commander, United States Forces Japan and commander, 5th Air Force from July 2012 to August 2015. During that assignment, Angelella was the senior United States military representative in Japan and commander of United States Air Force units in Japan.

References

  1. http://inauguration.citadel.edu/files/File/RosaInaugurationProgram.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  2. "Biography of Lt Gen John W. Rosa". The Citadel. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  3. "Past Presidents | Administration | the Citadel".
  4. "CAA Admin Tool".
  5. "Lieutenant General John W. Rosa Jr".
Preceded by Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy
20032005
Succeeded by
Preceded by President of The Citadel
20062018
Succeeded by