Maj. Gen. Neil R. Richardson is the Deputy Director for Operations, United States Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. As the Deputy Director for Operations, he is the principal military operations advisor to the USINDOPACOM Commander for joint/combined military operations in USINDOPACOM. In this position, he monitors the disposition and readiness of assigned U.S. forces and allies, conducts joint/combined training and recommends employment options during crisis or contingency.
Maj. Gen. Richardson received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at New Mexico State University in May 1995, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems. He attended Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, Texas, and went on to serve as a C-130 Navigator, Instructor Navigator, C-130 Formal Training Unit flight Instructor, and C-130 Weapons Officer.
Maj. Gen. Richardson is a master navigator with over 2,250 hours and has operational experience in the Pacific, Europe and North Africa as well as combat tours in operations Joint Guardian, Joint Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He has held a variety of positions at the Squadron, Wing, Major Command, and Combatant Command levels.
EDUCATION
1995 BA in Management Information Systems, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.
2000 C-130 Weapons Instructor Course, United States Air Force Weapons School, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2007 Masters in Military Operational Arts/Science, American Military University Online
2009 Intermediate Developmental Education, Legislative Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2011 Air War College by correspondence
2015 National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2020 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2022 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala
2024 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala
2024 Enterprise Leadership Course, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 – December 1996, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2. December 1996 – May 1997, Student, C-130 Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. May 1997 – May 2000, C-130 Navigator, Instructor Navigator, Squadron Executive Officer, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
4. May 2000 – December 2000, Student, United States Air Force Weapons School, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. January 2001 – May 2003, C-130 Weapons Officer, Formal Training Unit Instructor, Life Support Officer, Tactics Flight Commander, and Group Executive Officer, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. May 2003 – May 2005, C-130 Weapons Instructor Cadre, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
7. June 2005 – May 2008, Chief, C-130 Combat Programs and Policy Branch, Chief, Information Operations and Aerospace Integration Branch, HQ AMC/A3D, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. June 2008 – December 2009, Student, Legislative Fellowship, Washington D.C.
10. January 2010 – January 2011, Director of Operations, 50th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
11. February 2010 – December 2011, Commander, 447th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Baghdad, Iraq
12. January 2012 – June 2012, Deputy Commander, 19th Maintenance Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
13. July 2012 – July 2014, Deputy Director, Legislative and Interagency Affairs, United States Transportation Command, Arlington, Va.
14. August 2014 – July 2015, Student, National War College, Washington D.C.
15. August 2015 – May 2017, Vice Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
16. June 2017 – July 2019, Commander, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and 87th Air Base Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
18. August 2019 – July 2021, Chief, Senate Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 19. July 2021 – June 2023, Deputy Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
20. June 2023 – July 2024; Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
21. July 2024 – present; Deputy Director for Operations, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2012 – July 2014, Deputy Director, Legislative and Interagency Affairs, United States Transportation Command, Arlington, Va., as a Lieutenant Colonel
2. June 2023 – July 2024, Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a Brigadier General
3. July 2024 – Present, Deputy Director for Operations, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a Brigadier General
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 2,250 hours
Aircraft Flown: C-130E/H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant May 31, 1997
Captain May 31, 1999
Major October 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2010
Colonel October 1, 2014
Brigadier General October 2, 2020
Major General July 31, 2024
(Current as of September 2024)