page_title: David L. Goldfein
section_title: Assignments
hierarchical_section_title: David L. Goldfein / Assignments
caption_attribution_description: Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, General David Goldfein attends Israeli Air Force change of command ceremony at Tel Nof Air Base, Israel and awards the Legion of Merit, (degree of Commander) to outgoing Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. General Amir Eshel, August 14, 2017. English: Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Gen. David L. Goldfeinlanded in Israel today for a short visit to attend the change of command ceremony of the Israeli Air Force. Gen. Goldfein also presented the Legion of Merit (degree of Commander) to outgoing IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel for “exceptionally meritorious conduct” and for his long-standing partnership with the U.S. Air Force. Congratulations to Maj. Gen Eshel and to incoming IAF Commander Maj. Gen Amikam Norkin. עברית: מפקד חיל האוויר האמריקאי, הגנרל דיוויד גולדפיין, נחת היום בישראל לביקור בזק כדי להשתתף בטקס חילופי מפקדים של חיל האוויר הישראלי. גולדפיין העניק את "עיטור המצויינות" (Legion of Merit) לאלוף אשל על שנים של שירות מצטיין וידידות ארוכת שנים עם חיל האוויר האמריקאי. ברכות לאלוף אשל ולמפקד חיל האוויר הנכנס אלוף עמיקם נורקין.
context_page_description: David Lee Goldfein is a United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the 21st chief of staff of the Air Force. He previously served as the vice chief of staff of the Air Force and, prior to that, he served as the director of the Joint Staff, a position within the Joint Chiefs of Staff who assists the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Goldfein will retire effective October 1, 2020, after over 37 years of service.
context_section_description: October 1983 – October 1984, student, undergraduate pilot training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
  October 1984 – February 1988, T-38 instructor pilot, 90th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
  February 1988 – January 1992, F-16 instructor pilot and flight commander, 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
  January 1992 – June 1992, student, USAF Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  June 1992 – July 1994, squadron weapons officer and Chief, Wing Weapons and Tactics, 366th Composite Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
  July 1994 – June 1995, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  June 1995 – May 1996, special assistant to the Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe and Sixteenth Air Force, Naples, Italy
  May 1996 – August 1997, executive officer to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
  August 1997 – June 1998, operations officer, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
  June 1998 – July 2000, Commander, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
  July 2000 – June 2001, student, National Defense Fellow, State Department Senior Seminar, Arlington, Va.
  July 2001 – July 2002, Deputy Division Chief, Combat Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  August 2002 – July 2004, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
  July 2004 – June 2006, Commander, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
  June 2006 – January 2008, Commander, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
  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, Washington D.C.
  August 2009 – August 2011, Director of Operations, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
  August 2011 – July 2013, Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia
  August 2013 – August 2015, Director, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  August 2015 – July 2016, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  July 2016 – August 2020, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
caption: General Goldfein during a visit to Israel in August 2017.
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