His staff assignments include: Assistant Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Washington, D.C. in 1990; G-2, 25th Infantry Division (Light) from May 1993 to May 1994 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He served as Director of Intelligence, J-2, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from May 1997 to June 1999; Director of Intelligence, J-2, U.S. Southern Command from June 1999 until May 2003, and Director for Intelligence, J-2, The Joint Staff from June 2003 to July 2005. Burgess assumed duty as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Customer Outcomes in August 2005 transitioning to Director of the Intelligence Staff in February 2007. He was dual-hatted twice as the Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence from May 2006 to October 2007, and January to February 2009.

Command assignments include: Company Commander, 124th Military Intelligence Battalion, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Stewart, Georgia; command of the 125th Military Intelligence Battalion, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from April 1991 to May 1993; and command of the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade in Panama from June 1995 to May 1997.

His personal awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters), Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (Four Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, NATO Medal - former Republic of Yugoslavia, Parachutist Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge and Army Staff Identification Badge.

Burgess and his wife, Marta, have five children: Lee, Regina, Julia, Mary and John.