Brig. Gen. Ronald Buckley is the Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters U.S. Northern Command.

The Directorate of Operations serves as the principal adviser to the USNORTHCOM Commander on all operational matters, providing strategic guidance to plan and execute USNORTHCOM missions within the area of responsibility; including land, maritime, and homeland defense air operations as well as defense support of civil authorities.  

General Buckley was previously assigned as Deputy Director for Operations in the National Military Command Center, to plan and direct the actions for the Joint Staff officer/enlisted operations team which performed worldwide monitoring, crisis action, strategic nuclear and current operational watch functions. He was responsible for the initial analysis of developing military, political, and environmental situations worldwide; ensuring continual situational awareness of the Operations Joint Staff (J-3), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior DOD leadership. He supervised the preparation of daily operations briefings for the CJCS and Secretary of Defense. Performed nuclear watch duties in conjunction with North American Aerospace Defense and U.S. Strategic Command, and convened appropriate conferences to apprise CJCS, Secretary of Defense and the President of the U.S. on available nuclear courses of action, and transmitted presidential nuclear decisions by emergency action messages. 

General Buckley grew up in Elk City, Oklahoma. He is a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in engineering mechanics. Following the Air Force Academy, he was awarded one of two national Guggenheim Fellowships to study at the Institute for Flight Structures located at Columbia University in New York City. 

General Buckley has completed numerous flying, staff, and command assignments. He is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours primarily in fighter and trainer aircraft. He holds three master’s degrees and is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. 

EDUCATION 
1989 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Mechanics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 
1990 Master of Science, Engineering Mechanics and Civil Engineering, Columbia University, New York City 
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2000 U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif. 
2002 Master of Science, Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2008 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2009 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville 
2009 Air Force Senior Leadership Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C. 

ASSIGNMENTS 
1. May 1989 - June 1990, Graduate Student, Columbia University, New York City 
2. June 1990 - June 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla. 
3. July 1991 - January 1992, Student, T-38 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas 
4. January 1992 - December 1995, 25th FTS, Flight Examiner, Check Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Vance AFB, Okla. 
5. December 1995 - August 1996, 71st Operations Group, T-38 Chief of Standards/Evaluation, Vance AFB, Okla. 
6. August 1996 - October 1996, Student, Class Leader, Intro to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss. 
7. October 1996 - June 1997, Student, Class Leader, F-15E B-course, 333rd FS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 
8. June 1997 - June 1999, Flight Lead, Functional Check Flight Pilot, Chief of Mobility, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C. 
9. June 1999 - June 2000, Student, Class Leader, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School Class 99B, Edwards AFB, Calif. 
10. June 2000 - June 2001, F-16 Test Pilot, Assistant Operations Officer, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif. 
11. June 2001 - June 2002, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
12. July 2002 - March 2004, F-15 Program Element Monitor, Fighter Branch Chief, Secretary of the Air Force/Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
13. March 2004 - May 2006, Senior Military Aide to the Vice President, the White House, Washington, D.C. 
14. October 2006 - July 2007, Chief, Operations and Maintenance Branch, Air Education and Training Command Inspector General, Randolph AFB, Texas 
15. July 2007 - June 2008, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
16. June 2008 - May 2010, Commander, 12th Operations Group, Randolph AFB, Texas 
17. May 2010 - May 2012, Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho 
18. May 2012 - June 2013, Chief, Air Force Senate Liaison Office, Secretary of the Air Force/Legislative Liaison, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
19. June 2013 - June 2015, Deputy Director for Operations, National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
20. June 2015 - present, Deputy Director of Operations, US Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 
1. March 2004 - May 2006, Senior Military Aide to the Vice President, the White House, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel 
2. June 2013 - June 2015, Deputy Director for Operations, National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel and brigadier general 
3. June 2015 - present, Deputy Director of Operations, US Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo,, as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION 
Rating: command pilot 
Flight hours: more than 2,800 
Primary aircraft flown: T-38, F-15E, F-16 (Block 10/15/30/40/50) 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters 
Air Medal 
Aerial Achievement Medal 
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters 
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 
1989-1990 Guggenheim Fellowship 
Distinguished Graduate and "Flying Training Award" Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 
Distinguished Graduate Pilot Instructor Training Class 
Distinguished Graduate Squadron Officer School Class 
Distinguished Graduate Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Class 
Distinguished Graduate F-15E B-course Class 
2002 Distinguished Graduate Air Command and Staff College Class 
2008 Highest Academic Distinction (#1 of 235), Air War College 

PUBLICATIONS 
Co-author, "Resurgent Russia in 2030: Challenge for the USAF," Occasional Paper No. 66, Center for Strategy and Technology, Air War College, September 2009 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989 
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991 
Captain May 31, 1993 
Major July 1, 1999 
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2004 
Colonel Sept. 1, 2007 
Brigadier General Nov. 15, 2013 

(Current as of November 2015)