ron bartlett, director

Ron Bartlett graduated with a BA degree in English with minors in math, physics, and chemistry from Waynesburg University. He later earned a Masters Degree in International Relations from Cal State University. Enlisting in the Air Force as an intelligence analyst when drafted in 1968, he then went to Officer Training School in 1970.

After graduating from USAF Navigator Training, he went on to the Electronic Warfare Officer course. Ron was on a SAC combat crew flying in B-52s during Vietnam and later as an instructor Electronic Warfare Officer. He flew nearly 100 combat missions including two over Hanoi, North Vietnam in the Linebacker II Campaign in December 1972. Working in the intelligence community
most of his career, Ron had another flying tour as mission director on our nation’s top airborne reconnaissance platform, the RC-135.

Ron served as commander of an intelligence collection squadron in the Philippines and was selected as the Air Force Fellow for the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA). He ran the Air Force Intelligence Command’s liaison to Strategic Air Command (SAC). Ron commanded the Cryptologic Support Group in the SAC underground command post and during that period supported Desert Storm/Desert Shield on a 24/7 basis. Over the span of his career, he was involved in 32 wars or crises. His last assignment was to the NSA where he was responsible for Support to Military Operations.

After retirement from the USAF in 1995, Ron founded a financial planning firm and was partner with his son in Bartlett Financial in Lexington SC. He retired again at the end of 2017. In 2019 Ron joined the Board of Directors for the Red River Valley Association, the River Rats, and serves as their national Treasurer.