March 9, 2015
Lt Gen Hawkins' presentation will cover his career challenges, accomplishments, and the advice he has to John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory's young and diverse staff about lessons learned - the thoughts he would like to pass on to young and diverse engineers.
Lt Gen Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr., is Director, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
He leads a global organization of military and civilian personnel who plan, develop, deliver, and operate joint, interoperable, command and control capabilities and a global enterprise infrastructure in direct support of the President, Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, Department of Defense components, and other mission partners across the full spectrum of operations.
Lt Gen Hawkins received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Angelo State University in 1977. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Angelo State University; a master of science degree in management and human relations from Abilene Christian University; a master of science degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University; and a master of divinity degree in church ministries from Liberty Theological Seminary.
Lt Gen Hawkins commanded Cadet Squadron 24 at the U.S. Air Force Academy; the Air Combat Command's Computer Systems Squadron and Communications Group; and the Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He served as the Director of Communications and Information, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces; Director of Communications Operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force; and Director, Infrastructure Delivery, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Lt Gen Hawkins served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Communications and Information Systems, Multi-National Force-Iraq, and as Vice Director, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Md., Prior to his current assignment, Lt Gen Hawkins was the Deputy Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (C4), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Lt Gen Hawkins is a distinguished graduate of both the Squadron Officer School and the Air Command and Staff College, and his military education includes the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University. Lt Gen Hawkins also attended the Program for Senior Managers in Government at Harvard University.
Among his many awards, Lt Gen Hawkins has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.