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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      CSAF Gen. GoldfeinEngage On
        
        CSAF Gen. GoldfeinGeneral DAVID L. GOLDFEINGen. David L. Goldfein was the 21st Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. As Chief, he served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of 685,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Chief of Staff and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the President.

Prior to assuming his current position, General Goldfein was the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, where he presided over the Air Staff and served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Advisory Working Group. Before serving as the Vice Chief, General Goldfein was the Director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
General Goldfein received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1983. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and is a command pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, F-16C/D, F-117A, MQ-9 and MC-12W. He has flown combat missions in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Allied Force and Enduring Freedom.

**EDUCATION**
1983 Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1986 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1987 Master's degree in business administration, Oklahoma City University, Okla.
1992 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1998 Air War College, by correspondence
2001 National Defense Fellowship, State Department Senior Seminar, Arlington, Va.**ASSIGNMENTS**
1. October 1983 - October 1984, student, undergraduate pilot training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. October 1984 - February 1988, T-38 instructor pilot, 90th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. February 1988 - January 1992, F-16 instructor pilot and flight commander, 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
4. January 1992 - June 1992, student, USAF Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. June 1992 - July 1994, squadron weapons officer and Chief, Wing Weapons and Tactics, 366th Composite Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
6. July 1994 - June 1995, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. June 1995 - May 1996, special assistant to the Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe and 16th Air Force, Naples, Italy
8. May 1996 - August 1997, executive officer to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
9. August 1997 - June 1998, operations officer, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
10. June 1998 - July 2000, Commander, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
11. July 2000 - June 2001, student, National Defense Fellow, State Department Senior Seminar, Arlington, Va.
12. July 2001 - July 2002, Deputy Division Chief, Combat Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
13. August 2002 - July 2004, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
14. July 2004 - June 2006, Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
15. June 2006 - January 2008, Commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
16. January 2008 - August 2009, Deputy Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
17. August 2009 - August 2011, Director of Operations, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
18. August 2011 - July 2013, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
19. August 2013 - August 2015, Director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. August 2015 - July 2016, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
21 July 2016 - August 2020, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.**SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS**
1. June 1995 - May 1996, special assistant to the Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe and 16th Air Force, Naples, Italy, as a major
2. May 1996 - August 1997, executive officer to the Commander, Allied Air Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany, as a major
3. August 2013 - August 2015, Director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant general

**FLIGHT INFORMATION**
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,200
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16C/D, F-117A, MQ-9, and MC-12W**MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS**
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor device and oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal**PUBLICATIONS**
"*Sharing Success, Owning Failure: Preparing to Command in the Twenty-First Century Air Force*," Air University Press, October 2001**EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION**
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1983
First Lieutenant June 1, 1985
Captain June 1, 1987
Major Nov. 1, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1998
Colonel April 1, 2001
Brigadier General Oct. 1, 2007
Major General July 3, 2010
Lieutenant General Aug. 3, 2011
General Aug. 17, 2015
(Current as of August 2020)
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