Kenneth Minihan

Minihan was born in Pampa, Texas. He entered the United States Air Force in 1966 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Florida State University, where he was also a member of Phi Kappa Psi.Grand Catalogue of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity – Twelfth Edition, p.235: Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, 1985. He served as senior intelligence officer for the air force and in other senior staff officer positions in The Pentagon; Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; Electronic Security Command, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas; the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.; and the National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He has commanded squadrons, groups and a major air command, both in the United States and overseas. He has been the assistant chief of staff, intelligence, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C., and director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

After retiring from the United States Air Force, Minihan served as the president of the Security Affairs Support Association from 1999 until 2002.[https://web.archive.org/web/20111014045504/http://people.forbes.com/profile/kenneth-a-minihan/51091 Forbes.com] He currently serves as a Managing Director in the Paladin Capital Group.{{cite web |url=http://www.paladincapgroup.com/team/minihan.htm |title=Paladin Capital Group |access-date=2010-04-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321090229/http://www.paladincapgroup.com/team/minihan.htm |archive-date=2009-03-21 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.circadence.com/company/board-of-directors/kenneth-minihan |title=Kenneth A. Minihan ~ Circadence |access-date=2010-04-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331093051/http://www.circadence.com/company/board-of-directors/kenneth-minihan |archive-date=2010-03-31 }} His son, Mike Minihan also became a USAF officer and was, until 2024-09-09, commander of Air Mobility Command at the rank of General. {{cite web |title=Minihan promotion ceremony with family present |url=https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=932275860702327 |website=Facebook video |access-date=1 February 2024}}

• 1966 Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, Florida State University, Tallahassee
• 1972 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1979 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree in national security affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
• 1979 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1984 Distinguished graduate, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• 1993 Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard University, Massachusetts

• September 1962 – June 1966, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program, Florida State University, Tallahassee
• June 1966 – November 1966, student, Armed Forces Intelligence Center, Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado
• November 1966 – October 1969, intelligence plans officer, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
• October 1969 – November 1970, target intelligence officer and commander's briefer, Headquarters 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
• November 1970 – September 1974, chief, current intelligence and presentations branch, Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Howard Air Force Base, Panama
• September 1974 – July 1978, program element monitor, assistant executive; assistant chief of staff, intelligence; and special assistant for external affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
• July 1978 – December 1979, student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
• January 1980 – September 1981, legislative liaison officer, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
• September 1981 – December 1982, chief, Office of Support to Military Operations and Plans, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
• December 1982 – July 1983, commander, 6941st Electronic Security Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
• July 1983 – May 1984, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
• May 1984 – July 1985, commander, 12th Tactical Intelligence Squadron, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas
• July 1985 – July 1987, commander, 6917th Electronic Security Group, San Vito dei Normanni Air Station, Italy
• July 1987 – June 1989, deputy chief of staff, plans, Headquarters Electronic Security Command, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
• June 1989 – July 1991, deputy chief of staff, intelligence, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
• July 1991 – June 1993, director of plans and requirements, assistant chief of staff, intelligence, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
• June 1993 – October 1993, commander, Air Force Intelligence Command and director, Joint Electronic Warfare Center, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
• October 1993 – October 1994, commander, Air Intelligence Agency and director, Joint Command and Control Warfare Center, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas
• October 1994 – September 1995, assistant chief of staff, intelligence, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
• September 1995 – February 16, 1996, director, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.
• February 16, 1996 – April 1999, director, National Security Agency and Central Security Service, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

• 60px  Defense Distinguished Service Medal
• 60px  Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
• 60px  Bronze Star
• 60px  Defense Meritorious Service Medal
• 60px  Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
• 60px  National Security Medal
• 60px  National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
• 60px  National Defense Service Medal with service star
• 60px  Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars
• 60px  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
• 60px  Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

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{{USGovernment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613181028/http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6485|archive-date=2009-06-13|url=http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6485|agency=United States Air Force}}

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{{Succession box|title=Director of the National Security Agency |before=John M. McConnell|after=Michael V. Hayden |years=1996–1999}}

{{Succession box|title=Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency |before=James R. Clapper|after=Patrick M. Hughes|years=1995–1996}}

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{{Directors of the Defense Intelligence Agency}}

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Category:1943 births

Category:Living people

Category:Directors of the National Security Agency

Category:Harvard University alumni

Category:United States Air Force generals

Category:Directors of the Defense Intelligence Agency

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War

Category:Florida State University alumni

Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni

Category:Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States)

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal