Robert E. Linhard – Major General, United States Air Force

by

From a contemporary news report:

A special assistant to the chief of staff of the Air Force for long-range plans, he died August 3, 1996, at his home in Fairfax County, Virginia, after a heart attack. He was formerly director of plans for the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations.

Linhard, 49, had served 28 years in the Air Force. He had been a Titan II launch officer, Minuteman airborne missile launch officer, and an Air Staff training officer in the directorate of concepts and a strategic force planner on the Joint Staff.

The general also worked on the White House National Security Council staff as a director of defense programs. He was appointed senior director and given a presidential commission as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan for nuclear issues and arms control.

Linhard is survived by his wife, the former Joanne Blayne of Bedford, Ohio, and a daughter, Jennifer. His funeral service will be at 9 a.m. Aug. 9 at the Fort Myer (Va.) Memorial Chapel with burial to follow to Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent in the name of Major General Bob Linhard, to the Education Fund of the Strategic Air Command, Box 1244, Bellevue, Neb. 68005-1244.

Major General Linhard dies

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — Major General Robert E. Linhard, special assistant to the chief of staff of the Air Force for long-range plans, died August 3, 1996, at his home in Fairfax County, Virginia, after a heart attack. He was formerly director of plans for the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations.

Linhard, 49, had served 28 years in the Air Force. He had been a Titan II launch officer, Minuteman airborne missile launch officer, and an Air Staff training officer in the directorate of concepts and a strategic force planner on the Joint Staff.

The general also worked on the White House National Security Council staff as a director of defense programs. He was appointed senior director and given a presidential commission as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan for nuclear issues and arms control.

Linhard is survived by his wife, the former Joanne Blayne of Bedford, Ohio, and a daughter, Jennifer. His funeral service will be at 9 a.m. Aug. 9 at the Fort Myer (Va.) Memorial Chapel with burial to follow to Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent in the name of Major General Bob Linhard, to the Education Fund of the Strategic Air Command, Box 1244, Bellevue, Nebraska 68005-1244.

Courtesy of the United States Air Force

MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT E. LINHARD
Died on active duty, August 3, 1996

Major General Robert E. Linhard is the director of plans, deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He is responsible for the Headquarters Air Force position on unilateral and joint policy guidance, strategy and doctrine development and assessment, war and mobilization representative to the U.S. and Canada Permanent Joint Board on Defense and the U.S. national director for the Air Standardization Coordinating Committee.

The general was born in the Bronx, New York. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in English from Fordham University. After receiving a commission in June 1968, he entered active duty in April 1969 as a TITAN II launch officer. He has been a Minuteman airborne missile launch officer, flying in EC-135s, an Air Staff training officer in the directorate of concepts, and a strategic force planner on the Joint Staff. He has worked on the White House National Security Council staff as a director of defense programs. He was appointed senior director and given a presidential commission as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan for nuclear issues and arms control. His responsibilities included U.S. and allied nuclear strategy, policy and programs, the safety and security of related U.S. and allied nuclear facilities, North American strategic defense issues, the strategic defense initiative, and U.S. nuclear and conventional arms control policy. The general participated in the Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington and Moscow U.S.-Soviet summit meetings. He co-chaired the U.S. delegation and negotiated the agreement establishing the U.S.-Soviet Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers. He also chaired the U.S. Arms Control Support Group that served on a day-to-day basis as the overall coordinating group for U.S. arms control policy. He has commanded the 57th Air Division at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., been deputy chief of staff for plans and resources, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, and director, U.S. Strategic Command Provisional Headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He came back to the Pentagon from serving as director, plans and policy, J-5, U.S. Strategic Command.

EDUCATION:

1968 Bachelor of arts degree in English, Fordham University, N.Y.
1969 Master of arts degree in English, Fordham University, N.Y.
1973 Master of arts degree in public administration, University of Oklahoma, Norman
1973 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1974 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1975 Master of arts degree in business management, University of Northern Colorado, Greely
1979 Master of arts degree in political science, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. April 1969 – September 1970, TITAN II missile launch officer, 308th Strategic Missile Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
2. October 1970 – September 1973, training, standardization and evaluation crew member, 308th Strategic Missile Wing,
Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
3. September 1973 – August 1975, Minuteman airborne missile launch officer, combat crew member, airborne missile launch
training officer, and missile test director, 4th Airborne Command Control Squadron, 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
4. September 1975 – December 1979, Air Staff training (ASTRA) officer, directorate of concepts, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. January 1980 – October 1981, strategic force planner, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C .
6. November 1981 – August 1985, director of defense programs and arms control, White House Security Council, Washington, D.C.
7. September 1985 – December 1985, senior director for defense programs, White House Security Council, Washington, D.C.
8. January 1986 – April 1989, special assistant to President Ronald Reagan for nuclear issues and arms control, Washington, D.C.
9. May 1989 – August 1989, deputy director for strategy and policy, the Joint Staff, J-5, Washington, D.C.
10. September 1989 – December 1990, commander, 57th Air Division, Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
11. January 1991 – December 1991, deputy chief of staff for plans and resources, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
12. January 1992 – May 1992, director, U.S. Strategic Command (Provisional) Headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
13. June 1992 – April 1994, director of plans and policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
14. June 1994 – present, director of plans, deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Apr 23, 1969
First Lieutenant Jun 5, 1970
Captain Dec 5, 1971
Major May 1, 1977
Lieutenant Colonel Dec 1, 1979
Colonel Oct 1, 1982 Brigadier General Sep 1, 1989
Major General Jul 2, 1992

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment