Robert H. Foglesong

General Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong, USAF, Ret., (born 13 July 1945),[1] formerly of Williamson, West Virginia, is a former president of Mississippi State University. He served in the United States Air Force from April 1972 until retirement as general in February 2006.

Robert H. Foglesong
Born (1945-07-13) 13 July 1945
Williamson, West Virginia
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Years of service1972–2006
Rank General
Commands heldU.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)
Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force
Battles/warsnone
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Sam Il Korean National Security Medal
Cheon-Su Korean National Security Medal
Medalla De Oro por Servicio Distinguido, El Salvador (Gold Medal for Distinguished Service)
Mérito Aeronáutico, Uruguay (Aeronautical Merit)
Mérito Aeronáutico, Bolivia
Cruz de la Fuerza Aérea al "Mérito Aeronáutico", Colombia (Air Force Cross of Aeronautical Merit, Grand Cross class)
Cruz de las Fuerzas Armadas, Honduras (Armed Forces Cross)
Cruz de la Fuerza Aérea, Guatemala
Cruz Peruana al Mérito Aeronáutico, clase Gran Cruz, Perú (Peruvian Cross of Aeronautical Merit, Great Cross category)
La Medalla Legion al Mérito Confraternidad Aérea Interamericana, (System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces Legion of Merit)
Other workPresident of Mississippi State University

Education

Foglesong earned the degrees BSc, MSc and PhD at West Virginia University in chemical engineering in 1968, 1969 and 1971 respectively. He holds an honorary Doctorate in Strategic Intelligence, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of West Virginia University.[2] He was selected by the West Virginia Education Alliance as a Graduate of Distinction,[3] and was selected by the West Virginia Executive Magazine as the Patriot of the Year for 2005.[4]

Air Force career

Foglesong attained the rank of four-star general in the United States Air Force 5 November 2001, retiring 1 February 2006 from active duty after 33 years of service. His last post was as Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and of Allied Air Component Command Ramstein where the service's enlisted corps honored him with the Order of the Sword.[5] General Foglesong commanded six times during his Air Force service including flying and maintenance units, a Numbered Air Force, and a Major Command. During his final command, General Foglesong continued his established model of using multiple "Combat" programs throughout his command to focus on military discipline and service standards including facilities maintenance, physical readiness, and leadership and mentoring. While a few Airman saw merit and value of these "Combat" Programs as a renewed emphasis on pride, espirit, and mission; most Airmen sounded their displeasure.[6][7] Shortly after his retirement, his successor led an effort to reshape these programs begun under Foglesong, dropping two programs, eliminating the "Combat" moniker, and delegating responsibility for 10 of the programs to base and wing commanders.[8]

Awards and decorations

US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Basic Maintenance and Munitions Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Allied Air Command Badge
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Order of National Security Merit, Sam-il Medal (Korea)
Order of National Security Merit, Cheon-Su Medal (Korea)
El Salvador Gold Medal for Distinguished Services
Aeronautical Merit Medal (Uruguay)
Gold star
Gold star
Bolivian Order of Aeronautical Merit, Commander
Air Force Cross of Aeronautical Merit, Grand Cross (Colombia)
Honduran Armed Forces Cross
Air Force Cross (Guatemala)
Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit (Peru)
SICOFAA Legion of Merit, Officer

After retirement

Foglesong was President of Mississippi State University from 2006 to 31 March 2008. Foglesong was the second retired general to hold the office of president at the university; Confederate lieutenant general Stephen D. Lee was the first. Foglesong tackled a number of competing internal and external agendas that he saw as undermining the school's purpose of delivering a quality education to its students. Under pressure from politicians, students and faculty,[9] he resigned in March 2008. During his tenure enrollment rose 6% from 16,206 [10] to 17,127 in 2008.[11] He also oversaw a significant change to the school's facilitites and grounds involving removal of longstanding traditional landscaping[12] including removal of daffodil bulbs which had been on the campus for decades.[13] Much of this landscaping was seen as destructive and shortsighted in nature by students and faculty.[14] Foglesong founded a scholarship program in West Virginia called the Appalachian Leadership and Educational Foundation in 2006. He helped to establish the Appalachian Leadership Honors Program at Mississippi State, which now goes by the name Montgomery Leadership Program in honor of former congressman Sonny Montgomery in 2006.[15] He has also served as a director of now defunct Massey Energy, a major coal company which closed after flagrant safety violations during his tenure.[16][17][18]

See also

References

  1. "Release". Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. "Alumni Association | Home". www.alumni.wvu.edu. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. "Home Page". Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. "Honor Awards Gala 2005 : Video Library : West Virginia Executive". Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. General McNabb inducted into AMC Order of the Sword, 9 July 2007
  6. Scott Schonauer, 'Combat' shifts: USAFE programs to be retooled
  7. "The Foglesong Thread". 30 July 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. Scott Schonauer, 'Combat' shifts: USAFE programs to be retooled, 5 April 2006, Stars and Stripes
  9. "Former USAFE boss quits university post as complaints mount". Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. "Newsroom". 9 May 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  11. "Mississippi State profile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  12. MSU landscape involves constant maintenance, replacement, 11 February 2008
  13. "Newsroom". 9 May 2019.
  14. "Printed word on paper lasts forever". 28 April 2015.
  15. "The Foglesong Thread". 30 July 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  16. Maher, Kris (6 December 2011). "Feds Blame Owner of West Virginia Mine". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  17. "US Labor Department's MSHA cites corporate culture as root cause of Upper Big Branch Mine disaster: Massey issued 369 citations and orders with $10.8 million in civil penalties" (Press release). Mine Safety and Health Administration. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  18. "Alpha Natural Resources Inc. and Department of Justice Reach $209 Million Agreement Related to Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion" (Press release). US Dept. of Justice. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
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