Former U.S. Air Force Academy Dean of Faculty Passes Away
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy.
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy, died Sept. 5, 2025. Lt. Gen. Rokke’s wife, Pam, was with him at the time.
“Lt. Gen. Rokke’s legacy is one of dedication to service, commitment to academic excellence, and contributions to developing leaders of character and quality. His influence on the Academy and the nation will be felt for generations,” said U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy.
He continued, “The U.S. Air Force Academy extends its deepest condolences to Lt. Gen. Rokke’s family, friends, former colleagues, classmates, and members of the USAFA community.”
Born in 1939 in Warren, Minnesota, Lt. Gen. Rokke graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. He later earned both a master’s degree and a doctorate in international relations from Harvard University.
Throughout Lt. Gen. Rokke’s 35-year military career, he held numerous high-impact roles, including serving in intelligence, as a staff officer in the Pacific Air Forces Headquarters, as a plans officer in the Office of the Defense Adviser at the U.S. Mission to NATO, and as the U.S. Air Attaché to the United Kingdom. Notably, he also served as Defense and Air Attaché to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the end of the Cold War, a pivotal period in modern history.
Rokke served as an instructor in the Department of Political Science, assistant dean of the faculty, and head of the political science department before being promoted to brigadier general and becoming the first Academy graduate to serve as Dean of the Faculty, where he led the Academy’s original 25-year curriculum review. He was also the first graduate to be appointed a permanent professor.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy.
While the Dean of Faculty is often a “retirement position,” Rokke was the Academy’s first permanent professor to return to the Line of the Air Force after leaving the post, continuing to serve and ascend in rank. Lt. Gen. Rokke’s military career culminated in his service as President of the National Defense University, and he retired as a lieutenant general in 1997.
His decorations included the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, as well as unit awards.
After his uniformed service, Lt. Gen. Rokke continued to make significant contributions to education and national defense.
He served as President of Moravian University in Bethlehem, Penn., for a decade, then continued to give back to the Academy in various capacities, including serving as the first President of the USAFA Endowment, now the Air Force Academy Foundation. He also held the Superintendent’s Chair for Character and Leadership Development and was instrumental in shaping the Academy’s character and honor programs, as well as helping inspire creation of Institute for Future Conflict. He earned the rank of Professor Emeritus of Political Science.
The Academy Research and Development Institute (ARDI) recognized his contributions by naming an endowed chair in his honor, the Rokke-Simon Chair.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy.
“Lt. Gen. Rokke was an exemplary leader, whose passion for developing critical thinkers and the pursuit of knowledge inspired countless cadets and faculty members,” said Col. Steve Hasstedt, Acting Dean of the Faculty. “As a continuous mentor to faculty members, Permanent Professors, and USAFA Deans, his legacy of service continues to shape the academic excellence that defines the Academy.”
He was also a member of the Defense Intelligence Agency Attaché Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Jan Masaryk Medal of Achievement from the Czech Republic in 2006, and held honorary degrees from Muhlenberg and Moravian Colleges, as well as from the Defense Intelligence College in Washington, DC.
In 2007, the Academy and the USAFA Association of Graduates presented Lt. Gen. Rokke with the Distinguished Graduate Award, which recognizes outstanding performance by graduates who have demonstrated a lifetime of exceptional service to the Nation. Last year, the Academy honored his remarkable contributions with the unveiling of a sculpted bust, now on display in the south lobby of Polaris Hall.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ervin J. Rokke, a distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1962 and former Dean of the Faculty at the Academy.
“Lt. Gen. Rokke exemplified our Core Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,” said Col. Matthew Horner, Director of the Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development. “His example will continue to guide us as we strive to develop officers and leaders who embody and practice these values.”
Memorial service arrangements have not yet been made.