Engineering the Future: Maj Gen Osmond Ritland, Problem Solving, and the Challenge of Technical Leadership

From the early days of basic wood-frame airplanes to complex marvels of engineering that put humans on the Moon, US Air Force test pilot and engineer Osmond J. Ritland served during an exciting epoch in flight and space exploration. Author David Christopher Arnold deftly interweaves Ritland’s career—featuring tenacity, innovation, and dedication to mission—with the broader growth of the US Air Force in an era of remarkable transformation. Current and future Air Force professionals and others can learn from Ritland's story, harnessing their technical skills to solve problems and lead in high-stakes, sometimes contested environments.