Ron Rand’s distinguished Air Force career spanned more than 32 years. As the longest-serving director of public affairs (1998 – 2004), his legacy lives on in the transparent culture he created, the talented public affairs professionals he influenced, and the significant accomplishments he spearheaded.

After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1971, Ron began his career in the audiovisual field at Norton Air Force Base, California. As the officer in charge of the motion picture laboratory, he learned the business of making films while supervising more than 100 airmen and civilians. Later, as a motion picture producer and director, he produced weekly 30-second public service announcements delivered to television stations across the United States, as well as segments for the monthly U.S. Air Force news program, Air Force Now.

That experience led him to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in 1974, where, as commander of Det 12, 601 Photo Squadron, he and his team documented Air Force activities throughout Southeast Asia. Ron participated in the 1975 rescue mission of the SS Mayaguez container ship from Cambodian forces. Flying aboard an HH-53 Super Jolly Green rescue helicopter, he documented the operation with his Canon F2 camera until the chopper came under heavy fire. He put down his camera and picked up his rifle to help lay down suppressive fire that allowed the crew to rescue Marines trapped on Koh Tang Island. For these actions, Ron was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and shared the Academy’s Jabara Award for Airmanship. (To read his citation, click on Ron's name in this list of Jabara Award recipients.)

After completing his master’s degree in mass communication from Boston University in 1981, Ron became a public affairs officer. His PA career included service at all levels of the Air Force, starting as an action officer in SAF/PA media relations, where he was the service’s principal spokesperson on space, intelligence and advanced technology. He was also the spokesperson for the Challenger space shuttle explosion, and prepared President Ronald Reagan for his news conference announcing the “Return to Space” initiative, which included his Star Wars ballistic missile defense plan.

As the director of public affairs for 13th Air Force at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, he led internal and media support as the base was evacuated following the devastating eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Additional career highlights include service as the director of public affairs at Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command.

Ron became the Air Force director of public affairs in 1998, where he led the development of the new Air Force identity, including the stylized logo still in use and an advertising and branding campaign to improve recruiting and retention. He oversaw the campaign to promote the Air Force core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do. He worked with leadership to establish the Air Force Issues Team and prepared public affairs practitioners to integrate into the newly established air expeditionary forces. Equally important, he led the effort to develop core public affairs competencies and infuse them into all elements of the career field, including public affairs, broadcasting, bands and audiovisual.

When terrorists crashed a commercial jetliner into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Ron carried litters to help rescue the injured and retrieve the deceased. He subsequently deployed to Kuwait as the senior public affairs officer in the combined air operations center during the operation to topple the Saddam Hussein regime,

After retiring from active duty on January 1, 2004, Ron served as Pratt & Whitney’s vice president of communications (2004 – 2008), Lockheed Martin’s senior vice president of communications (2008 – 2014), and the Medal of Honor Foundation’s president and CEO (2014 – 2018).

On September 11, 2021, Ron’s hometown of Quincy, Massachusetts, honored him and other local generals by dedicating a bridge and park to them. Ron’s bust can be found in the town’s Generals Bridge and Park, and his portrait hangs in City Hall. The dedication ceremony that day was officiated by the governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, and the mayor of Quincy, Thomas Koch, who said of Ron and his fellow honorees that they "never sought accolades or rank, they were chosen to lead because they possess the virtues of leadership: integrity, courage, humility, loyalty."

Berni and Emily joined Ron when Quincy saluted him with a bust in Generals Park and a portrait in City Hall.

In May 2022, Ron was honored by the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs for his outstanding service to Air Force Public Affairs and his leadership by example during so many high profile and difficult crisis situations over the course of his career. The Air Force Public Affairs annual award for best Crisis Communication was officially renamed and established as the “Brigadier General Ron T. Rand Award for Best Crisis Communication.” The now Pentagon Press Secretary, Major General Pat Ryder, said that "Henceforth, General Rand’s name and example are synonymous with excellence when it comes to Air Force Public Affairs professionals, and the best of the best when it comes to crisis communication."

Ron is not just a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Hall of Fame. In recognition of the impact he's had on public affairs throughout the Department of Defense, he was inducted into the DINFOS Hall of Fame in August 2024. You can view the induction ceremony and Ron's moving acceptance speech here.

Ron is the sixth of 12 children. His dad, Allen, was a World War II sailor and shipfitter and his mom, Dorothy, was a homemaker and bank loan officer. Among the many values and lessons they taught their kids, Ron’s favorite is “there’s nothing more important than family and there’s no place like home.”

Ron and his wife, Berni, live in Alexandria, Virginia, a couple miles from their daughter, Emily, her husband, Chris Saxon, and Nilla, their beloved golden doodle. In retirement, Ron is spending more time with family and friends, walking on more battlefields and beaches, reading more good books, and traveling with Berni to great cities and places.

You can learn more about Ron's unusual and exciting career in his oral history. His official Air Force biography is here.