Rick Rife

Rickey L. Rife graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Business Administration in May 1979. A Distinguished Military Graduate and Razorback Brigade Cadet Commander, he attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, followed immediately by Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, qualifying on the AH-1 Cobra and OH58 Kiowa before being assigned to the 11th ACR, Fulda, Germany, in August 1980 where he served as an Air Troop Aeroscout platoon leader, Air Troop Operations Officer and Troop Executive Officer.

He departed Germany to attend the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, GA, where he also attended Ranger School and Pathfinder School before being reassigned as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at Fordham University, New York City, NY.

After completion of the AH 64 Apache transition course, he was assigned to 1/3rd Attack Helicopter Bn, 2 AD Fort Hood as the B Company commander. In 1990, he deployed to Operation Desert Shield/ Storm. Later, he served as the aide-de-camp to the TRADOC commander as he waited to take command of the 5-501st Attack Battalion, Camp Eagle, Wonju, South Korea.

In 1997, he attended Stanford University as the Army Fellow at the Hoover Institute. Following his Senior Service College fellowship, he served as the V Corps deputy G3 Operations Officer and deployed to Tirana, Albania, serving as the liaison officer to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the Aviation lessons learned coordinator, and V Corps operations forward coordinator. Immediately following redeployment, he assumed command of the 11th Aviation Regiment, Illesheim, Germany.

In August, 2001 he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, and following the 9/11 attacks, he served a Director within the newly organized Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) directorate responsible for developing plans to operationalize Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and supporting Combatant Command operations. He served as the J5 representative to the Inter Agency Task Force responsible for High Value Target operations, Agency Counter Terrorist coordination, and briefings to Department of Defense senior leadership.

Following his assignment in the Pentagon, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned as the Assistant Division Commander- Support, 101st Airborne Division. The division deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in August 2005 with primary responsibility for all operations in Northern Iraq.

In 2007, he returned to the Army Staff in the Pentagon as the Deputy of the Program, Analysis, and Evaluation Directorate and, in October 2008, retired after a distinguished 29-year career.

His notable awards and decorations include the Military Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star, Air Medal, Ranger Tab; Combat Action Badge; Pathfinder Badge; Master Aviator Badge; Parachutist Badge; Air Assault Badge, Joint Staff and Army Staff Identification Badges. He has completed over 2,700 flight hours across multiple platforms (OH58, AH-1, and AH64 aircraft), including one hundred-plus hours of combat time.

BG Rife continues to serve his community as a coach for local swimming and soccer teams and as a mentor in the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).