Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Michael Carl Gould (born December 21, 1953) is a retired senior officer of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
who served as the 18th
Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy
The superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy is the senior officer and commander of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The position is normally held by an active duty Air Force lieutenant general, and i ...
.
He assumed command on June 9, 2009,
and retired from service in July 2013. He previously served as director of operations and plans,
United States Transportation Command
The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and was established in 1987.
The USTRANSCO ...
,
Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville and O'Fallon, east-southeast of downtown St. Louis. Scott Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the U ...
. Gould is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in a variety of aircraft.
Early life and education
Gould is a native of
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 28,215 at the 2020 Census. The city is counted as pa ...
, and graduated from
Kent State High School
Kent State University School ("KSUS") was a laboratory school located in Kent, Ohio, United States, on the campus of Kent State University. The school included grades K–12 and was divided into elementary, junior high/middle, and high school leve ...
in 1971. He graduated from the
United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School
The U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School—usually referred to as "the Prep School" or "The P School"—was established in May 1961. The school's founder and first commander was Colonel Lee Charles Black. It is located on the campus of th ...
in 1972 and earned his commission from the
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...
in 1976. Gould starred as a defensive back on the Air Force football team.
* 1971 Kent State High School
* 1976
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in
behavioral science
Behavioral sciences explore the cognitive processes within organisms and the behavioral interactions between organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behavior through naturalistic o ...
,
U.S. Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Unit ...
, Colorado Springs, Colorado
* 1983
Squadron Officer School
Squadron Officer School (SOS), is a 5.5-week-long Professional Military Education (PME) course for U.S. Air Force and Space Force Captains, Department of the Air Force Civilian (DAFC) equivalents and International Officers. It fulfills the U.S ...
, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* 1986
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree in
human resource development
Training and development involve improving the effectiveness of organizations and the individuals and teams within them. Training may be viewed as related to immediate changes in organizational effectiveness via organized instruction, while devel ...
,
Webster University
Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs ...
* 1989
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...
, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
* 1993
National War College
The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active.
History
The National War Colle ...
, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
* 1998 Advanced Executive Program,
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (also known as Kellogg) is the business school of Northwestern University, a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1908, Kellogg is one of the oldest and most p ...
,
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
, Evanston, Illinois
* 2001 National and International Security Management Course,
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
,
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, Cambridge, Mass.
Military career
![Defense](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Defense.gov_photo_essay_120430-D-VO565-001.jpg)
Gould commanded an operations group, an air refueling wing, an air mobility wing and the
Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a Space Force installation and defensive bunker located in unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado, next to the city of Colorado Springs, at the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, which hosts the activities of ...
. He also commanded the
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and the
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...
,
Keesler AFB
Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi, a city along the Gulf Coast in Harrison County, Mississippi, Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2nd ...
. His operational and staff assignments include three tours at Headquarters United States Air Force, along with duty as an Air Force aide to the President and military assistant to the
Secretary of the Air Force
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
. He served as the director of mobility forces for
Operation Joint Endeavor
The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''.
Background
NATO ...
and as
United States European Command
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russi ...
's Air Expeditionary Task Force commander for the deployment of
African Union
The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the Africa ...
troops into the
Darfur
Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...
region of
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
.
Assignments
* June 1976 – January 1977, graduate assistant football coach, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
* January 1977 – December 1977, student, undergraduate pilot training,
Vance AFB Vance may refer to:
Locations United States
* Vance, Alabama, a town
*Vance Township, Vermilion County, Illinois
*Vance, Mississippi, an unincorporated community
* Vance, Nebraska, an unincorporated community
* Vance County, North Carolina
* Vanc ...
, Oklahoma
* December 1977 – August 1981, T-38 instructor pilot, flight scheduler, safety officer and runway supervisor unit controller, 97th Flying Training Squadron,
Williams AFB
Williams Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located in Maricopa County, Arizona, east of Chandler, and about southeast of Phoenix. It is a designated Superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contamin ...
, Arizona
* August 1981 – June 1985, physical education instructor; assistant men's golf coach; head prep-school football coach; and T-41 instructor pilot, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
* June 1985 – July 1986, T-38 pilot training instructor, flight commander and standardization pilot, 12th Flying Training Wing,
Randolph AFB
Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Uni ...
, Texas
* July 1986 – August 1988, executive officer to the Vice Commander, Air Training Command, and standardization pilot, Headquarters ATC, Randolph AFB, Texas
* August 1988 – July 1989, student,
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...
,
Maxwell AFB
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama
* July 1989 – June 1990, chief of Officer Professional Military Education, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* June 1990 – July 1992, Air Force aide to the President, The White House, Washington, D.C.
* July 1992 – June 1993, student, National War College,
Fort Lesley J. McNair
Fort Lesley J. McNair is a United States Army post located on the tip of Greenleaf Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. To the peninsula's west is the Washington Cha ...
, Washington, D.C.
* June 1993 – September 1994, KC-10 aircraft commander and assistant operations officer, 6th Air Refueling Squadron, and special assistant to the operations group commander, 722nd Operations Group,
March AFB
March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...
, California
* September 1994 – February 1995, deputy commander, 438th Operations Group,
McGuire AFB
McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is under the j ...
, New Jersey
* February 1995 – June 1996, commander, 305th Operations Group, McGuire AFB, New Jersey
* July 1996 – December 1996, chief of Mobility Forces Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* December 1996 – April 1998, military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
* April 1998 – January 1999, commander of 22nd Air Refueling Wing,
McConnell AFB
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States., effective 2007-12-20 The airbase was named in ...
, Kansas
* January 1999 – August 2000, commander of 97th Air Mobility Wing,
Altus AFB
Altus Air Force Base (Altus AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Altus, Oklahoma.
The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) ...
, Oklahoma
* September 2000 – May 2002, commander of Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center,
Cheyenne Mountain AFS, Colorado
* May 2002 – July 2004, director of operational plans and joint matters, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
* July 2004 – November 2005, deputy commander, 3rd Air Force,
Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England
* November 2005 – May 2008, commander, 2nd Air Force, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
* June 2008 – May 2009, director of operations and plans, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Illinois
* June 2009 – July 2013, superintendent of U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Major awards and decorations
*
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
with two oak leaf clusters
*
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...
with two oak leaf clusters
*
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
with oak leaf cluster
*
Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
*Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Med ...
with oak leaf cluster
*
Air Force Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
*
Air Force Achievement Medal
The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to recei ...
*
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-SM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created through Executive Order 13289 on 12 March 2003, by President George W. Bush. The medal recognizes those military service ...
Dates of rank
*
Second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
, June 2, 1976
*
First lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
, June 2, 1978
*
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
, June 2, 1980
*
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
, August 1, 1987
*
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
, July 1, 1991
*
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
, Feb. 1, 1995
*
Brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
, Sept. 1, 2000
*
Major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
, Sept. 1, 2003
*
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
, June 9, 2009
Controversies
In October 2013, three months after retiring from the Air Force, Gould was named to the first-ever
College Football Playoff selection committee. His selection to the committee came under some scrutiny as he had been away from the game since the 1970s, when he played and later coached at Air Force.
After his committee appointment, a controversial program came to light in a ''
Colorado Springs Gazette
''The Gazette'' is a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. It has operated since 1873.
History
The publication began as ''Out West'', beginning March 23, 1872, but failed in its endeavor. ...
'' article. To help combat illicit drug use and sexual assaults by Air Force Academy students, the
United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations
The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force. OSI is also a U.S. Air Force field operating agency under the administrative ...
(AFOSI) created in 2011 a system of student informants to hunt for misconduct among students. According to ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' in Academic Year 2014, "after the informant program ended with no further convictions, reports fell by half."
''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' has cited a letter to Congress from former AFOSI Agent, Staff Sergeant Brandon Enos, who said that Gould had interfered in cases involving football players. In turn Gould said to ''The New York Times'' that the suggestion that he had interfered with the investigation "preposterous".
[ Gould said that the allegations would not stop him from serving on the playoff selection committee. A special on ''ESPN E60'' titled "Operation Gridiron" aired in 2014 showed an in-depth look at the scandal at the Air Force Academy regarding drugs and rape which took place under Gould's leadership. It uncovers how Gould not only attempted to cover up the scandal and protect high-profile football players at the Academy, but also set out to punish the students who provided intelligence on the scandal.
After Operation Grid Iron and the Office of Special Investigations scandal, Lt. Gen. Michael Gould was named in a lawsuit in DeRito v. United States Air Force Academy/United States of America in 2017. After reporting sexual assault and working as an undercover informant; DeRito alleged he was improperly discharged and his medical records were illegally falsified to delegitimize him. The case was dismissed.]
References
External links
Official USAF biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gould, Michael C.
1953 births
Living people
People from Kent, Ohio
United States Air Force Academy alumni
Webster University alumni
National War College alumni
Kellogg School of Management alumni
Harvard Kennedy School alumni
United States Air Force generals
Superintendents of the United States Air Force Academy
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States)
Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
College Football Playoff Selection Committee members
Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)