David L. Goldfein

Born at Laon-Couvron Air Base in France, Goldfein is the son of William "Goldie" (1931–2019) and Mary Vanni Goldfein.[4] His paternal grandfather served in World War I with the United States Navy, and his father was a colonel in the Air Force.[5] His elder brother Stephen M. Goldfein also served in the Air Force, retiring as a major general.[6] David Goldfein received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy in 1983.[7] He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein speaking at the Air Force Association in September 20, 2016.

Goldfein is a Command Pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours with the T-37, T-38, F-16C/D, F-117A, MC-12W, and MQ-9.[1]

Goldfein commanded United States Air Forces Central, Shaw AFB, SC and Al Udeid AB, Qatar; 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM; 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany; 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, ID; and the 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy.

Goldfein flew combat missions during the Gulf War, and later deployed to the Vicenza Combined Air Operations Center for Operation Deliberate Force. As commander of the 555th Fighter Squadron, he led his squadron flying an F-16 fighter in Operation Allied Force. During that operation, on 2 May 1999, Goldfein's F-16 was shot down[8] over western Serbia by a S-125 surface-to-air missile fired by the 3rd Battery of the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade of the Yugoslav Air Force. Goldfein successfully ejected, and was subsequently rescued by NATO helicopters.[9]

General Goldfein during a visit to Israel in August 2017.

Tail and canopy of then-Lt Col Goldfein's F-16CG shot down during the Operation Allied Force at the Museum of Aviation, Belgrade

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 Sixteenth 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, Washington, D.C.
13. August 2002 – July 2004, Commander, 366th Operations Group, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
14. July 2004 – June 2006, Commander, 52d 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, Washington D.C.
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, Washington, D.C.
20. August 2015 – July 2016, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
21. July 2016 – present, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

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