BRIGADIER GENERAL RICHARD F. KEENE

Brigadier General Richard F. Keene is currently serving as the Assistant Vice Commander, United States Special Operations Command, responsible for representing United States Special Operations Command and the Component Commands to the Joint Staff, Service Staffs, Office of the Secretary of Defense and other governmental agencies in the National Capitol Region.  He provides timely and critical information flow, coordination, liaison, research, analysis and advice as a well as special operations forces unique expertise in the areas of plans and policy; programs and resources; and current operations.  Brigadier General Keene serves as a General Officer/Flag Officer level interface to senior military and civilian leadership in the Pentagon and oversees the conduct of a forward operating base for the United States Special Operations Command Commander, Deputy Commander and staff to conduct business in the Pentagon and National Capitol Region.

Brigadier General Keene was commissioned in 1985 through the State Officer Candidate School at 243d Regional Training Institute, Narragansett, Rhode Island. He commanded various Rhode Island National Guard units including Detachment  2, 3 Bn 172^nd Inf, Company  A 2^nd Bn 19^th Special Forces Group, 243^rd Regional Training Institute, and Special Operations Detchment – Global.   He deployed several times where he served as the Director of Operations for Joint Special Operations Task Force Horn of Africa, Special Operations Liaison Element to Nairobi, Kenya for Joint Special Operations Task Force Horn of Africa, Operations Officer within the Future Operations Division of U.S. Special Operations Command, the Deputy Commander for Inter-Agency Coordination for Special Operations Command South, and Commander, Special Operations Command-Forward in Bogota, Colombia.

Prior to receiving his commission, Brigadier General Keene served an active duty enlistment in the U.S. Navy as a heavy equipment operator Petty Officer as well as in the Rhode Island Army National Guard as a Special Forces Radio Operator Non-Commissioned Officer.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal and Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters.  He also earned the Master Parachutist Badge and Special Forces Tab.