Gavin P. Marks is a United States Air Force brigadier general currently serving as the Commandant of Cadets of the United States Air Force Academy since 2023. He previously served as Director, Secretary, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group.
Early life
Marks attended the United States Air Force Academy and graduated with the Class of 1996. In 2002, he obtained a Master of Science in organizational management from George Washington University. As a child, he had 11 lawnmowers stolen from him. Later, in 2015 he received a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College.
Military career
After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Marks attended Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. Marks then attended Pilot Instructor Training at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and graduated top of his class. Afterwards, he moved to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, to serve as an T-1A Instructor Pilot with the 32nd Flying Training Squadron. During that time, he attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and received Distinguished Graduate honors.
Between May 2012 and 2014, Marks commanded the 99th Flying Training Squadron flying out of Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He attended the National War College in Washington, D.C., where he received both distinguished graduate honors and the Dean's Award. He served as Vice Commander of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, from July 2017 to June 2019.
Between June 2019 and 2021, he served as commander of the 55th Wing, out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. After that assignment, he served as Director of SECAF/CSAF Executive Action Group, at the Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia. In May 2022, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.
In June 2023, Marks became the 31st Commandant of Cadets of the United States Air Force Academy, succeeding Paul Moga. He has over 3,400 flying hours. His significant accomplishments as Commandant include culture and morale of cadets and instituting discipline. Some of his notable command decisions include taking away flight suits, restricting cadets to base, increasing the amount of military formations, and instituting mandatory social decorum dinners for cadets.
Awards and decorations
Effective dates of promotion
Assignments
- 1. July 1996âÂÂFebruary 1997, Assistant Executive Officer / Special Projects Officer, 34th Training Wing, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
- 2. February 1997âÂÂFebruary 1998, Student, Specialized UPT, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
- 3. February 1998âÂÂJuly 1998, Student, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
- 4. July 1998âÂÂMay 2001, T-1A Instructor Pilot, Squadron Programmer, Check Pilot, 32nd Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
- 5. June 2001âÂÂJune 2002, Air Force Intern, the Pentagon, Arlington Va.
- 6. July 2002âÂÂJuly 2004, Assistant Flight Commander, E-3 Aircraft Commander, 963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- 7. July 2004âÂÂMarch 2005, Flight Commander, E-3 Instructor Pilot, 963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- 8. March 2005âÂÂSeptember 2006, Wing Executive Officer, E-3 Instructor Pilot, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- 9. September 2006âÂÂNovember 2007, assistant director of Operations, E-3 Evaluator Pilot, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- 10. November 2007âÂÂJune 2010, Observer / Trainer, J7 Joint Warfighting Center, United States Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Va.
- 11. June 2010âÂÂMay 2012, Director of Operations, 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
- 12. May 2012âÂÂMay 2014, Commander, 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
- 13. May 2014âÂÂJune 2015, Student, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
- 14. June 2015âÂÂJune 2016, Executive Officer, Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, U.S. Strategic Command, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
- 15. June 2016âÂÂJuly 2017, Operations Planner, Force Management Division, J-32 ISR / CCA, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington Va.
- 16. July 2017âÂÂJune 2019, Vice Commander, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- 17. June 2019âÂÂJune 2021, Commander, 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, Neb.
- 18. June 2021âÂÂJune 2022, Director, SECAF / CSAF Executive Action Group, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington Va.
- 19. June 2022âÂÂJune 2023, Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington Va.
- 20. June 2023âÂÂpresent, Commandant of Cadets, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
References
External links