Leonard Eric Patterson is currently serving as the Director of the Federal Protective Service. Patterson is also a retired United States Air Force Brigadier General (Special Agent) and was the 14th Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Andrews AFB, MD. As the AFOSI Commander, Patterson oversaw AFOSI's worldwide network of military and civilian special agents stationed at major Air Force installations and a variety of special operating locations.[1][2]

L. Eric Patterson
Director of the Federal Protective Service
Assumed office
September 2010
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
DeputyRichard K. Cline
Preceded byGary W. Schenkel
Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
In office
May 2001 – June 2005
Preceded byFrancis X. Taylor
Succeeded byDana A. Simmons
Personal details
Education
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1975 – 2005
Rank Brigadier General (Ret.)
CommandsAir Force Office of Special Investigations
Awards

Education

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Patterson is a graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Howard University. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. Patterson is also a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and Air War College.[2]

Military career

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Patterson entered the United States Air Force in 1975 as a missile launch officer. He became an AFOSI special agent in 1979 and commanded AFOSI units at the detachment, squadron and regional levels at numerous stateside and overseas locations. He conducted and supervised a variety of felony-level investigations common to AFOSI, with specialization in counterintelligence and protective service operations as well as oversight of special programs. Prior to his last position as Commander of AFOSI, the general was the Operations Director for AFOSI. Patterson is a native of Washington, D.C.[2]

 
L. Eric Patterson during his time in the United States Air Force.

Assignments

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  • September 1975 – December 1979, missile launch officer, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
  • December 1979 – October 1980, special agent, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Langley AFB, Va.
  • October 1980 – October 1982, Commander, AFOSI Detachment 2101, Pope AFB, N.C.
  • October 1982 – October 1983, Chief of Counterintelligence, Collections and Protective Service Operations, AFOSI District 69, Ankara, Turkey
  • October 1983 – October 1985, Chief, Counterintelligence and Protective Service Operations Policy Branch, Headquarters AFOSI, Washington, D.C.
  • October 1985 – May 1989, assistant for Security Plans and Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  • May 1989 – May 1990, Commander, Air Force Element Counterintelligence Support Activity, AFOSI, Honduras
  • May 1990 – June 1992, Commander, AFOSI Detachment 540, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
  • June 1992 – June 1993, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  • June 1993 – July 1994, Vice Commander, Air Force Investigative Operations Center, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
  • July 1994 – June 1996, Director of Security and Special Programs Oversight, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  • August 1996 – July 1997, Commander, 52nd Field Investigations Squadron, AFOSI, Ankara, Turkey
  • July 1997 – July 1999, Commander, 2nd Field Investigations Region, Langley AFB, Va.
  • July 1999 – May 2001, Director of Operations, Headquarters AFOSI, Andrews AFB, Md.
  • May 2001 – June 2005, Commander, Headquarters AFOSI, Andrews AFB, Md.[2]

Major awards and decorations

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Patterson is the recipient of the following:[2]

     
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Force Protection Badge Command Missile Operations badge Air Force Office of Special Investigations Badge

Effective dates of promotion

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Insignia Rank Date
  Brigadier General July 1, 2002
  Colonel June 1, 1996
  Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1990
  Major March 1, 1986
  Captain February 22, 1979
  First Lieutenant February 22, 1977
  Second Lieutenant February 22, 1975

Post-Military Career

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After retiring from the U.S. Air Force, Patterson served in a variety of roles, such as a principal with Booz Allen Hamilton and Deputy Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and HUMINT Center at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), where he directed and conducted counterintelligence and human intelligence activities worldwide to meet the Department of Defense requirements.[1] In 2010, Patterson was appointed Director of the Federal Protective Service (FPS), which is a subcomponent of the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), and continues to work there serving his country.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain."L. Eric Patterson". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. May 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain."BG L. Eric Patterson Air Force Biography". U.S. Air Force. September 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2018.

Notes

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government   This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force

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Government offices
Preceded by Director of the Federal Protective Service
September 2010 – Present
Succeeded by
N/A
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
May 2001 – June 2005
Succeeded by