Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess Jr., head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, officially retired after 38 years of military service Tuesday at a ceremony in Washington.
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, nominated by Secretary Panetta in April, succeeds Burgess as the agency’s 18th director and will lead nearly 16,000 agency professionals.
Flynn , a 31-year Army veteran, was appointed assistant director of national intelligence for partner engagement in 2001 and has also served as director of intelligence for the Joint Staff.
According to American Forces Press Service, Burgess received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal for his service as DIA director between 2009 and 2012 during the ceremony.
Burgess also received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal for his service in military intelligence between May 1974 and July 2012.
During remarks, Panetta said Burgess helped fuse both military and intelligence capabilities in this country and throughout the world, according to Cheryl Pellerin’s report for AFPS.
director of intelligence (J2) for the Joint Staff
