Major General Robert P. Bongiovi

US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual, 2004

MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT P. BONGIOVI

Retired Feb. 1, 2003.

Maj. Gen. Robert P. Bongiovi is deputy director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. The agency safeguards America and its friends from weapons of mass destruction by reducing the present threat and preparing for the future threat.

The general was commissioned in 1969 through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Notre Dame. His career has involved mostly acquisition posts at Norton Air Force Base, Calif.; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and the Pentagon. During the 1970s, the general worked on numerous low observable projects and participated in the early development of several key Air Force weapon systems that included the F-117 Stealth fighter. From 1982 to 1985, he worked in the Office of the Special Assistant for Low Observables at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He later served as executive officer to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition.

After completing Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1988, the general was assigned to the Joint Staff as acquisition adviser to the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During this time he served on the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition Task Force where he wrote new acquisition policy and procedures. In 1992, he transferred to the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and established the Program Development System Program Office. Later he directed the Aircraft System Program Office and was responsible for the development and procurement activities of several aircraft systems, including the B-1B, F-117, AC-130 Gunship and MC-130H Combat Talon II. In early 1994, the general led a Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command team to Washington, D.C., to work on the Base Realignment and Closure '95 process. He returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in July 1994 and subsequently was appointed director of ASC's Reconnaissance Aircraft Systems Group. He later served as vice commander of the center, and prior to assuming his current position, was the director of requirements at AFMC headquarters.

EDUCATION

1969 Bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.

1970 Master of science degree in aerospace engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

1975 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

1980 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

1983 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

1988 Air War College, by correspondence

1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

1988 Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. August 1970-July 1975, program manager, Minuteman software and MX Peacekeeper studies, Minuteman Program Office, Norton Air Force Base, Calif.

2. September 1975-January 1978, program manager, Remotely Piloted Vehicles System Program Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

3. January 1978-August 1982, program manager, Special Projects Division, RPV System Program Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

4. August 1982-January 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

5. January 1983-July 1985, program element monitor, special access programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

6. July 1985-July 1987, executive officer to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

7. August 1987-December 1988, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

8. December 1988-January 1992, action officer, later, chief, Systems Program Evaluation Division, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment Directorate, J-8, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

9. February 1992-June 1993, director, Program Development System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

10. June 1993-March 1994, director, Aircraft System Program Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

11. March 1994-July 1994, special assistant to the commander for base realignment and closure, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

12. July 1994-March 1995, director, Reconnaissance System Program Office, and commander, 645th Materiel Squadron, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

13. March 1995-July 1995, program director, Reconnaissance Aircraft Systems Group, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

14. July 1995-June 1998, vice commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

15. June 1998-May 2000, director of requirements, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

16. May 2000-September 2000, deputy director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Dulles, Va.

17. September 2000-present, deputy director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster