Background
Ralston, Joseph W. was born on November 4, 1943 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States.
military officer consulting firm executive
Ralston, Joseph W. was born on November 4, 1943 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States.
Bachelor in Chemistry, Miami University, Ohio, 1965. Master of Arts in Personnel Management, Central Michigan University, 1976. Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1975—1976.
Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington District of Columbia, 1983—1984. Student, Harvard University, 1989.
Commissioned Second lieutenant research officer training corporations program United States Air Force, 1965, advanced through grades to general, 1995, retired, 2003, student pilot training Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, 1965—1966, student, F-105 combat crew training school Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1966—1967, F-105 combat crew member 67th Tactical Fighter Squandron later 12th Tactical Fighter Squandron Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, 1967—1969, student, F-105 combat crew training school Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1969, F-105 Wild Weasel instructor pilot 66th Fighter Weapons Squandron, 1970—1971, F-105 Wild Weasel pilot, 354th Tactical Fighter Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 1970, fighter requirements officer & project officer for F-15 & lightweight fighter programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for requirements Langley Air Force Base, 1971—1973, assistant operations officer, 335th Tactical Fighter Squandron, the chief Standardization & Evaluation, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1973—1975, tactical fighter requirements officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development Washington, 1976—1979, operations officer later Commander 68th Tactical fighter Squandron Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, 1979—1980, special assistant later executive officer to the Commander Headquarters Tactical Air Command Langley Air Force Base, 1980—1983, special assistant for low observables technical, Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development, & Acquisition Washington, 1984—1986, Commander, 56th tactical training wing MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 1986—1987, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, later deputy chief of staff for requirements, Headquarters Tactical Air Command Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 1987—1990, director tactical programs Office of the Assistant Secretary for acquisition Washington, 1990—1991, director operational requirements, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for plans & operations, 1991—1992, Commander Alaskan Command, Alaskan N. American Aerospace Defense Command Region, 11th Air Force & Joint Task Force Elmendorff Air Force Base, Alaska, 1992—1994, deputy chief of staff plans & operations, 1994—1995, Commander, Headquarters Air Combat Command Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 1995—1996. Vice chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff The Pentagon, Washington, 1996—2000. Commander United States European Command (USEUCOM), Mons, Belgium, 2000—2003.
Supreme allied Commander North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Europe (SACEUR), Brussels, 2000—2003. Vice chairman The Cohen Group, Washington, since 2003. Special envoy for Countering the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) United States Department State, 2006—2007.
Board directors Lockheed Martin Corporation, since 2003, The Timken Company, since 2003, United Research Services Corporation, since 2003.
Married Diane Dougherty. Children: Christopher, Paige, David, Sarah.