BIO-ANDERSON

Del. Richard L. Anderson

Del. Rich Anderson represents the 51^st House District in the Virginia General Assembly. He retired as a full colonel from the United States Air Force in February 2009 after 30 years of service on active duty. He served for the first half of his military career in the Air Force missile and space career field, and later served during the second half of his career in international affairs billets in the politico-military affairs career field. He is a resident graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Joint Forces Staff College, and Air War College. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and numerous other decorations.

Immediately after his military retirement in February 2009, Rich began a campaign to represent Prince William County in the Virginia General Assembly and was first elected in November 2009. He is now in his third term in the House of Delegates, where he serves on the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, the House General Laws Committee (where he also chairs the FOIA and Procurement Subcommittee), the House Science and Technology Committee (as vice chairman), and the House Transportation Committee (where he also chairs Subcommittee 1). Rich also serves as a deputy house whip, co-chairs the General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus, co-chairs the General Assembly Benjamin Franklin Privacy Caucus, and chairs the Virginia Commission on Civics Education.

Rich graduated from Virginia Tech in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from Webster University in 1982. Rich and his wife Ruth, who served for 21 years as a senior officer and commander in the Air Force Nurse Corps, reside in Lake Ridge and are the parents of three adult children.