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Congressional Daily Record
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April 30, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. KAINE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Mr. Richard Ritter, a true patriot who has dedicated more than 55 years of service to this country, first as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force and later as a civil servant and Senior Executive Service leader with the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, and the Missile Defense Agency.
A native of New York City, Mr. Ritter graduated from Manhattan College with a degree in electrical engineering, earned a master of science from New York University, and entered Active Duty in 1971 as an engineering officer. Over a distinguished 27-year Air Force career, he served in a range of critical roles, including systems engineering, telecommunications leadership in Germany, and strategic analysis of command, control, and reconnaissance systems.
In 1990, Mr. Ritter was assigned to the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, later the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, where he led theater missile defense systems integration and battle management, command, control, and communications efforts across the Department of Defense and with allied partners. Following his military service, he continued this work as a civilian, serving in senior engineering and leadership roles responsible for system integration, interoperability, and architecture development for the Nation's missile defense programs.
At the Missile Defense Agency, Mr. Ritter served as deputy program manager and later program director for Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications, C2BMC, where his leadership was instrumental in establishing a global, integrated network supporting the Missile Defense System. There, he helped build a system that integrates data from sensors across 19 time zones and in orbit, providing real-time situational awareness and coordination to combatant commanders. His direction to deliver enhanced command-and-control capabilities and critical system updates directly increased weapon system effectiveness and contributed to the operational success of the Missile Defense System, helping to strengthen the protection of the United States and its allies.
Mr. Ritter also played a key role in deploying forward-based radar systems and missile defense capabilities across Europe, the Indo- Pacific, and the Middle East, strengthening coordination with allies and expanding the reach of U.S. missile defense. His work advanced space-based sensing, communications, and tracking capabilities and supported the development of integrated, multi-domain missile defense architectures that remain vital to our national security.
Mr. Ritter's leadership and technical expertise have left an indelible mark on the Missile Defense Agency and on the Nation's defense. As he prepares for a well-earned retirement, I thank him for his commitment, perseverance, and dedication to the United States of America. I wish him the very best in the years ahead.