TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 2017 Air Force Ball will feature Tinker legend Garry Richey as its guest speaker for the 75th Anniversary event.
Richey, a former executive director of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, is an Oklahoma native. Born in Chickasha, Richey graduated from Duncan High School before drafting into the United States Army in 1972. He served at Fort Benning, Georgia, until his discharge in 1974. Richey returned home shortly thereafter, earning a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of Oklahoma in 1977 before launching what would become a long and successful civil service career at Tinker Air Force Base.
Richey’s tenure at Tinker includes work as a logistics management specialist as well as experience in acquisition. He also served as a director and logistics manager in propulsion, aircraft and item management. Furthermore, Tinker was successful in a bid for Kelly Air Force Base’s Propulsion Business Area public-private competition, thanks to Richey’s efforts as proposal manager during that time.
Though spending the bulk of his career at Tinker, the decorated speaker served as the director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, at Headquarters Air Education Training and Command at Randolph Air Force Base, the Deputy Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, and Deputy Director for Supply Management, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Richey’s efforts have earned him much recognition. He was awarded Sustainment Logistics System Support Manager of the Year in 1996 and received the Exemplary Civilian Service Award in 1998. Four years later, Richey received the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, which is the second-highest annual award given to no more than 5 percent of SES members each year. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Executives Presidential Rank Award, the highest civilian award that is given to no more than 1 percent of all SES corps.
The Air Force Ball will be held Sept. 16 at the Embassy Suites in Norman, commemorating the installation’s diamond anniversary milestone. Direct any questions to Master Sgt. Rachael Long, 734-4122, or Master Sgt. Gary Smith, 734-6741.