Major General Donald C. Ralph
Mobilization Assistant
to the Commander

Major General Donald C. Ralph is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. United States Strategic Command's operational mission areas include full-spectrum global strike, space operations, computer network operations, Department of Defense information operations, strategic warning, integrated missile defense, global C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), combating weapons of mass destruction, and specialized expertise to the joint warfighter.

The general earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research, Math from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980. He earned his master’s degree in Civil and Mechanical Engineering from California State University in 1984. He is a graduate of Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff College, Marine Command and Staff College and Air War College.

General Ralph entered pilot training in 1980 after graduating from the Air Force Academy. Following pilot training and a tour as a C-130 instructor pilot at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., General Ralph was assigned to the Pentagon as an Air Staff Training Assignment (ASTRA) Officer. The general was then selected as an initial cadre aircraft commander to fly the B-1B Bomber at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. General Ralph was one of only 10 Air Force pilots selected to attend the Edwards Test Pilot School, receiving the only “excellent” rating on a five-flight evaluation. He has served as an instructor, flight examiner, operations officer of a tactical airlift squadron and commander of the Hurricane Hunters – a one-of-a-kind weather reconnaissance squadron. Recently, he served as the Vice Commander of the 403d Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a tactical airlift and weather reconnaissance wing flying the new WC/C-130J aircraft. In the joint arena, he continues to serve as a Battle Commander to the Joint Force Air Component Commander, Operation Noble Eagle, Homeland Defense, and has augmented the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, J-4, Deployment Division, to expedite the joint deployment process.

The general is a command pilot with 4,000 flying hours primarily in the new WC/C-130J, C-130 and B-1B aircraft.

His major awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Award with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the NATO Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.