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PUBLIC AFFAIRS LEADERS

USAF Public Affairs Directors: 1918 – Present

Major Henry "Hap" Arnold

(Left to right) Brig Gen Ron Rand, Brig Gen Ron Palmer, Maj Gen Pat Ryder, Brig Gen Allen Herritage, Mr Jerry Renne, Maj Gen Ed Thomas

A Proud Tradition

The first military person to be "officially" responsible for dealing with news media was then Major Douglas MacArthur who, in 1916, was made Chief, Bureau of Information while serving as a junior member of the Army General Staff. But it was an "additional duty." Other famous officers also had "Information/public relations" assignments at some point in their careers. In 1925, then-Major Henry "Hap" Arnold, pictured above, was assigned as Chief, Information Division of the Army Air Corps, serving in that position for a year.


Below are the names of those who have held the primary "public relations" job for the U.S. Air Force and its predecessors beginning in 1918 with the establishment of the Division of Miltary Aeronautics, along with their dates of service and rank when they held the position.


If it is available, a link to an individual's official Air Force biography is included in their listing. There are also links with more information if an individual participated in AFPAA's Oral History program or has been inducted into the Air Force Public Affairs Hall of Fame. The final rank of those who were, or later became, a general officer is also noted.



Army Air Corps
and
US Army Air Forces

Asst Exec, Division of Military Aeronautics

Major John A. Drexel
July 1918 – December 1918


OIC, Aeronautical Information Branch

Major John A. Drexel
December 1918 – January 1919


Chief, Information Group

Major Horace M. Hickam
January 1919 – January 1921


Chief, Information Division

Major Horace M. Hickam
January 1921 – January 1923

Unknown
January 1923 – February 1925

Major Henry "Hap" Arnold (biography here) 
Final Rank: General of the Air Force
February 1925 – March 1926

Major Hubert R. Harmon (biography here)
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
March 1926 – February 1927

Major Robert L. Walsh (biography here)
Final Rank: Major General
February 1927 – July 1927

Captain Burdette S. Wright
July 1927 – December 1928

Major Ira Lonanecker
December 1928 – December 1931

Unknown
December 1931 – June 1933

Lt. Col. Walter R. Weaver (biography here)
Final Rank: Major General
June 1933 – September 1934

Lt. Col. John D. Reardon
September 1934 – July 1936

Colonel Harrison H.C. Richards
July 1936 – June 1937


Acting Chief, Information Division

Lt Colonel Ira. C. Eaker (biography here)
Final Rank: General
June 1937 – September 1939


Chief, Information Division

Colonel Robert Candee (biography here)
Final Rank: Brigadier General
September 1939 – November 1940


Chief, Intelligence Division

Colonel Robert Candee (biography here)
Final Rank: Brigadier General
November 1940 – July 1941

Lt Colonel James G. Taylor
July 1941 – September 1941


Chief, Public Relations Branch

Lt. Col. Arthur I. Ennis
September 1941 – June 1942


Chief, Public Relations Division

Lt. Col. Arthur I. Ennis
June 1942 – July 1942


Chief, Public Relations Office

Lt. Col. Arthur I. Ennis
July 1942 – September 1942


Assistant to Director of Army Air Forces

Lt. Col. Arthur I. Ennis
September 1942 – December 1942

Colonel William C. Nuckols (biography here)
Final Rank: Brigadier General
December 1942 -– July 1943

Colonel William Westlake
January 1943 – December 1945

Lt. Col. Charles E. Root
December 1945 -– April 1946


Director of Information

Lt General Harold L. George (biography here)

March 1946 – August 1946

Major General Emmett O'Donnell (biography here)
Final Rank: General
August 1946 – September 1947


US Air Force

Established September 18, 1947

Director of Public Relations

Mr Stephen F. Leo
September 1947 – January 1948

Brigadier General William C. Nuckols
Biography
Hall of Fame
January 1948 – May 1949

Major General Sory Smith
Biography
May 1949 – July 1954


Director of Information

Major General Brooke E. Allen
Biography
July 1945 – April 1955

Brigadier General Robert L. Scott, Jr.
April 1955 – August 1956

Major General Andrew J. Kinney
Biography
August 1956 – June 1957

Major General Arno H. Luehman
Biography
June 1957 – June 1962

Major General William K. Martin
Biography
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
June 1962 – January 1964

Major General Eugene B. LeBailly
Biography
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
January 1964 – June 1967

Major General William C. Garland
Biography
June 1967 – August 1969

Major General H.L. Hogan III
Biography
Oral History
July 1969 – April 1972

Major General Robert N. Ginsburgh
Biography
April 1972 – June 1974

Major General Guy E. Hairston
Biography
June 1974 – November 1975


Director of Public Affairs

Brigadier General H. J. Dalton, Jr.
Biography
Hall of Fame
Oral History
December 1975 – August 1980

Brigadier General Richard F. Abel
Biography
Hall of Fame
Oral History
August 1980 – March 1985

Brigadier General Michael P. McRaney
Biography
Hall of Fame
Oral History
March 1985 – September 1989

Brigadier General H. E. Robertson
Biography
Oral History
October 1989 – May 1992

Major General Jay W. Kelley
Biography
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
May 1992 – October 1992

Brigadier General Walter S. Hogle Jr.
Biography
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
November 1992 – June 1994

Brigadier General Ronald T. Sconyers
Biography
June 1994 – February 1998

Brigadier General Ronald T. Rand
Biography
Hall of Fame
Oral History
February 1998 – December 2003

Brigadier General Frederick Roggero
Biography
Final Rank: Major General
December 2003 – November 2005

Brigadier General Michelle Johnson
Biography
Final Rank: Lieutenant General
November 2005 – November 2007

Major General Darren W. McDew
Biography
Final Rank: General
November 2007 – February 2009


Director of Public Affairs (Acting)

Colonel Michael G. Caldwell
February 2009 – May 2009


Director of Public Affairs

Brigadier General Les A. Kodlick
Biography
May 2009 – February 2014

Brigadier General Kathleen A. Cook
Biography
February 2014 – June 2016

Brigadier General Edward Thomas Jr.
Biography
Final Rank: Major General
June 2016 – May 2020

Brigadier General Pat Ryder
Biography
Final Rank: Major General
May 2020 – August 2022

Mr Jerry Renne
Biography
August 2022 – January 2025

Brigadier General Allen Herritage
Biography
January 2025 – Present