Dr. James G. Roche is the 20th Secretary of the Air Force. In this role, he is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including the organizing, training, equipping, and providing for the welfare of its nearly 370,000 men and women on active duty, 180,000 members of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve , 160,000 civilians, and their families. As head of the Department of the Air Force, Secretary Roche is responsible for its functioning and efficiency, the formulation of its policies and programs, and the timely implementation of decisions and instructions of the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense. With an annual budget of approximately $90 billion, he ensures the Air Force can meet its current and future operational requirements.

Prior to this appointment, Secretary Roche held several executive positions with Northrop Grumman Corp., including Corporate Vice President and President, Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector. Prior to joining Northrop Grumman in 1984, he was Democratic Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

Secretary Roche's previous military service spanned 23 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring with the rank of captain in 1983. As a naval officer, his assignments included Principal Deputy Director of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff; Senior Professional Staff Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; and Assistant Director for the Defense Department's Office of Net Assessment. He commanded USS Buchanan, a guided missile destroyer, and was awarded the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for the Navy's most improved combat unit in the Pacific in 1974.

Secretary Roche has served as a member of the Secretary of Defense's Policy Board and is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies. Dr. Roche has been awarded various campaign ribbons and military medals.

Education

• 1960 Bachelor of Science degree in language, literature and philosophy, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
• 1966 Master of Science degree with distinction in operations research, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
• 1972 Doctorate degree in business administration, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 2002 Honorary Doctorate, Illinois Institute of Technology
• 2003 Honorary Doctorate, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York

Career chronology

• 1960 - 1983, commissioned U.S. Navy officer, retiring with the rank of captain
• 1983 - 1984, Democratic Staff Director, Senate Armed Services Committee, Washington, D.C.
• 1984 - 1989, Vice President and Director, Analysis Center, Northrop Grumman Corp., Washington, D.C.
• 1989 - 1991, Vice President and Special Assistant to the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles, California
• 1991 - 1992, Vice President of Advanced Development and Planning, Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles, California
• 1992 - 1996, Chief Advanced Development, Planning, and Public Affairs Officer, Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles, California
• 1996 - 2001, Corporate Vice President and President, Electronic Sensors & Systems Sector, Northrop Grumman Corp., Baltimore, Maryland
• 2001 - present, Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.

Awards and honors

• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Legion of Merit
• Navy Commendation Medal
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal
• U.S. Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal
• 2003 Department of the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award
• 2003 Illinois Institute of Technology Professional Achievement Award
• 2003 Air Force Order of the Sword