The Commandant of Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy is the officer in charge of the Cadet Wing. Under the Superintendent, the Commandant oversees all of the cadets' military training at the academy. The position of Commandant has traditionally been filled by an active duty Air Force brigadier general, although occasionally, the office holder has been a major general. Since reorganization from October 1994 through August 2006, the Commandant was "dual-hatted" as the commander of the 34th Training Wing. In August 2006, the 34th Wing was redesignated Commandant of Cadets, a named organization.[1]
List of commandants of cadets
editNo. | Commandant of Cadets | Term | Class Year | Notes and Reference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | |||
1 | Major General Robert M. Stillman | 1954 | 1958 | ~4 years | USMA 1935 | [a][2] | |
2 | Major General Henry R. Sullivan Jr. | 1958 | 1961 | ~3 years | USMA 1939 | [b][3] | |
3 | Major General William Seawell | 1961 | 1963 | ~4 years | USMA 1941 | [4] | |
4 | Major General Robert William Strong Jr. | 1963 | 1965 | ~2 years | USMA 1940 | [5] | |
5 | Brigadier General Louis T. Seith | 1965 | 1967 | ~2 years | USMA 1943 | [6] | |
6 | Brigadier General Robin Olds | 1967 | 1971 | ~4 years | USMA 1943 | [c][7] | |
7 | Brigadier General Walter T. Galligan | 1971 | 1973 | ~2 years | USMA 1945 | [8] | |
8 | Brigadier General Hoyt S. Vandenberg Jr. | 1973 | 1975 | ~2 years | USMA 1951 | [9] | |
9 | Brigadier General Stanley C. Beck | 1975 | 1978 | ~3 years | USMA 1954 | [10] | |
10 | Brigadier General Thomas C. Richards | 1978 | 1981 | ~3 years | Virginia Tech 1956 | [11] | |
11 | Brigadier General Robert D. Beckel | 1981 | 1982 | ~1 year | USAFA 1959 | [d][13] | |
12 | Brigadier General Anthony J. Burshnick | 1982 | 1984 | ~2 years | USAFA 1960 | [14] | |
13 | Brigadier General Marcus A. Anderson | 1984 | 1986 | ~2 years | USAFA 1961 | [e][15] | |
14 | Brigadier General Sam W. Westbrook III | 1986 | 1989 | ~3 years | USAFA 1963 | [16] | |
15 | Brigadier General Joseph J. Redden | 1989 | 1992 | ~3 years | USAFA 1964 | [17] | |
16 | Major General Richard C. Bethurem | 1992 | 1993 | ~1 year | USAFA 1966 | [18] | |
17 | Brigadier General Patrick K. Gamble | 1993 | 1994 | ~1 year | Texas A&M 1967 | [19] | |
18 | Brigadier General John D. Hopper Jr. | 1994 | 1996 | ~2 years | USAFA 1969 | [f][20] | |
19 | Brigadier General Stephen R. Lorenz | 1996 | 1999 | ~3 years | USAFA 1973 | [g][21] | |
20 | Brigadier General Mark A. Welsh III | 1999 | 2001 | ~3 years | USAFA 1976 | [h][22] | |
21 | Brigadier General S. Taco Gilbert III | 2001 | 2003 | ~2 years | USAFA 1978 | [23] | |
22 | Brigadier General Johnny A. Weida | 2002 | 2005 | ~2 years | USAFA 1978 | [24] | |
23 | Brigadier General Susan Y. Desjardins | 2005 | 2008 | ~3 years | USAFA 1980 | [i][25] | |
24 | Brigadier General Samuel D. Cox | 2008 | 2010 | ~2 years | USAFA 1984 | [26] | |
25 | Brigadier General Richard M. Clark | 2010 | 2012 | ~2 years | USAFA 1986 | [j][27] | |
26 | Major General Gregory J. Lengyel | 2012 | July 2, 2014 | ~2 years | Texas A&M 1985 | [k][28][29] | |
27 | Brigadier General Stephen C. Williams | July 2, 2014 | ~May 15, 2017 | ~2 years, 317 days | USAFA 1989 | [l] | |
28 | Brigadier General Kristin E. Goodwin | May 15, 2017 | April 29, 2019 | 1 year, 349 days | USAFA 1993 | [m] | |
29 | Major General Michele C. Edmondson | May 31, 2019 | May 27, 2021 | 1 year, 361 days | University of Florida 1992 | [n] | |
30 | Brigadier General Paul D. Moga | May 27, 2021 | June 21, 2023 | 3 years, 194 days | USAFA 1995 | [30] | |
31 | Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks | June 21, 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 169 days | USAFA 1996 | [31] |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Major general; bomber and reconnaissance pilot; World War II veteran and prisoner of war; first commandant at the Academy; later commanded the Lackland Military Training Center (1958–1961); named to the Sports Illustrated magazine Silver Anniversary All-American football team (1959)
- ^ Major general; bomber pilot; World War II veteran; later served as deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters Allied Air Forces Central Europe, and commander of all U.S. Air Force personnel assigned to the NATO headquarters and its supporting units
- ^ Renowned fighter pilot; World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veteran; triple ace with 16 confirmed air-to-air kills
- ^ First USAFA graduate Commandant. His son, Colonel Robert D. Beckel, Jr.[12] was a cadet during his tenure.
- ^ Lieutenant General, fighter pilot, later became commander of Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Center (AFOTEC), Inspector General US Air Force
- ^ First African American Commandant
- ^ Retired Commander, Air Education and Training Command. Promoted to General Jul 2, 2008.
- ^ Retired Chief of Staff, USAF. Promoted to General Dec 13, 2010.
- ^ First female Commandant
- ^ B-1 bomber pilot. Promoted to Lt Gen Oct 21, 2016. Currently twenty-first superintendent of US Air Force Academy.
- ^ BMajor General; helicopter pilot
- ^ F-16C/D Pilot. Promoted to Major General Aug 3, 2018
- ^ B-2A, B-52 Pilot
- ^ First Commandant with a Space Warfare background
References
edit- ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (April 25, 2018). "Factsheet Commandant of Cadets (USAFA)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Major General Robert M. Stillman". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Henry R. Sullivan". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brigadier General William T. Seawell". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Robert William Strong Jr". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "General Louis Theodore Seith". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brigadier General Robin Olds". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Walter T. Galligan". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Stanley C. Beck". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "General Thomas C. Richards". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Biographies : COLONEL ROBERT D. BECKEL JR". 505ccw.acc.af.mil. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Robert D. Beckel". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Anthony J. Burshnick". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Marcus A. Anderson". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Sam W. Westbrook III". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Joseph J. Redden". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Richard C. Bethurem". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "General Patrick K. Gamble". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General John D. Hopper". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "General Stephen R. Lorenz". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Mark A. Welsh III". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brigadier General S. Taco Gilbert III". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Major General Johnny A. Weida". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brigadier General Susan Y. Desjardins". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brigadier General Samuel D. Cox". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Brig. Gen. Richard M. Clark". USAFA. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
- ^ "Brig. Gen. Gregory J. Lengyel". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
- ^ "New commandant of cadets heading to AFA". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
- ^ Bowden, Ray (2021-05-27). "Academy's new commandant reports for duty". U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- ^ https://www.usafa.edu/brig-gen-marks-takes-command-of-cadet-wing/ [bare URL]