Allan Ricketts was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from U.S. Army Infantry Officer Candidate School (OCS) in 1970. Colonel Ricketts served in a variety of command and staff positions. His military assignments included: service as a Platoon Leader, 197th Infantry Brigade; Tactical Officer, U.S. Army Infantry Officer Candidate School; Platoon Leader, 57th Assault Helicopter Company, 17th Aviation Group (Republic of Vietnam); Platoon Leader, Executive Officer and Company Commander, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); Platoon Leader and Operations Off'icer (S-3), 25th Aviation Battalion, 25th Infantry Division; Assistant Division Signal Officer, 25th Infantry Division; Operations Officer (S-2/3), 1st Battalion, 58th Aviation, XVIII Airborne Corps; Professor of Military Science, Georgia Southwestern College; Commander, 4th Battalion, 58th Aviation, 17th Aviation Brigade (Republic of Korea); Professor of Leadership and Management, U.S. Naval War College; Commander, U.S. Army Readiness Group Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Director of the United States Army Aeronautical Services Agency, Washington, D.C. | His military education includes: Signal Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Rotary Wing Aviator Course, Air Assault School, Air Traffic Control and Airspace Management Course, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USAir Force Air/Ground Operations Battle Staff Course, U.S. Naval War College and the Joint/Combined Senior Staff Officer Course. Colonel Ricketts earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Valdosta State College. He also holds Master of Arts degrees in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. | His military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (six oak leaf clusters), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Senior Army Aviator Badge and Air Assault Badge. | Upon retirement from the United States Army in December 1996, he joined Weyerhaeuser Company. He served in a variety of manufacturing operations leadership positions including Engineered Lumber Manufacturing Operations Environmental and Quality Systems Manager and Enterprise Business Solutions Senior Project Manager. During his career with Weyerhaeuser Company he was recognized as the Manufacturing Operations Administrative Leader and Manager of the Year in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, he was recognized as the Outstand Manufacturing Operations Leader and Manager of the Year. In 2006, he received the Weyerhaeuser Company President’s Award for Superior Performance in Manufacturing Operations. He retired from Weyerhaeuser Company in November 2008 and began work as the Economic Development Project Manager for the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority. He is a graduate of the Leadership Lowndes Class of 2011, serves as a member of the Executive Committee, Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee and serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chapter of the National Defense Industry Association.