List of Superintendents of the United States Air Force Academy

The Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy is the senior officer and commander of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The position is normally held by an active duty Air Force lieutenant general, and is roughly equivalent to the president of a university. Because the Academy is a Direct Reporting Unit, the Superintendent reports directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff. The Superintendent oversees all aspects of the Academy, including military training, academics, athletics, admissions and the base infrastructure.

The position of Superintendent is established by statute, under 10 U.S.C. § 9333 and 10 U.S.C. § 9333a. Under those sections of law, the Superintendent is appointed by the President of the United States, must serve as Superintendent at least three years, and must retire at the end of his tour as Superintendent, unless the retirement is waived by the Secretary of Defense under 10 U.S.C. § 8921. The practice of mandatory retirement has changed over time, however, as many early Superintendents went on to higher positions in the Air Force after their terms at the Academy.

Superintendents of the U.S. Air Force Academy

# Start End Name Class year Notability References 1 1954 1956 Harmon, Hubert R.Hubert R. Harmon USMA 1915 Lieutenant general; pursuit/fighter and bomber pilot; World War II veteran; commander of allied air units in the Solomon Islands campaign (March-June 1944); first Academy Superintendent, served while the Academy was temporarily based at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado; main administration building at the Academy, Harmon Hall, is named in his honor 2 1956 1959 Briggs, James E.James E. Briggs USMA 1928 Lieutenant general; pursuit/fighter pilot; World War II veteran; oversaw the Academy's move to its permanent location in Colorado Springs; later commanded Air Training Command (1959-1963) 3 1959 1962 Stone, William S.William S. Stone USMA 1934 General; bomber pilot; World War II veteran; associate professor of social sciences at West Point (1946-1950); later air deputy to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1966-1968) 4 1962 1965 Warren, Robert H.Robert H. Warren USMA 1940 Lieutenant general; bomber pilot; World War II and Korean War veteran; later served as deputy assistant secretary of defense (international security affairs) for military assistance and sales (1969-1971) 5 1965 1970 Moorman, Thomas S.Thomas S. Moorman USMA 1933 Lieutenant general; observation and reconnaisance pilot; World War II veteran; 16 years of weather operations culminating as Air Weather Service commander; vice commander in chief of Pacific Air Forces (1961-1965) 6 1970 1974 Clark, Albert P.Albert P. Clark USMA 1936 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot, World War II veteran; prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III (1942-1945); commander of Air University (1968-1970) 7 1974 1977 Allen, James R.James R. Allen USMA 1948 General; Korean War and Vietnam War veteran; key planner in the Son Tay Raid; later chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (1977-1979), deputy commander United States European Command (1979-1981), and commander of Military Airlift Command (1981-1983) 8 1977 1981 Tallman, Kenneth L.Kenneth L. Tallman USMA 1946 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Vietnam War veteran; later served as President of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (1986-1991) 9 1981 1983 Kelley, Robert E.Robert E. Kelley ROTC 1956 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Vietnam War veteran; later Vice Commander of Tactical Air Command 10 1983 1987 Scott Jr., Winfield W.Winfield W. Scott Jr. USMA 1950 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Korean War and Vietnam War veteran; also served as commander, Alaskan Air Command (1978-1981), and deputy commander, United States Forces Korea (1981-1983); completed the Academy's freefall parachute training while Superintendent—the oldest and highest ranking person to earn jump wings through that program 11 1987 1991 Hamm, Charles R.Charles R. Hamm USMA 1956 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Vietnam War veteran; Pilot with the Thunderbirds (1964-1966) 12 1991 1994 Hosmer, Bradley C.Bradley C. Hosmer USAFA 1959 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; first graduate in the order of merit in the first class at the Academy; Academy's first Rhodes Scholar; first Academy graduate to return as Superintendent; president of National Defense University (1986-1989) 13 1994 1997 Stein, Paul E.Paul E. Stein USAFA 1966 Lieutenant general; former assistant coach for Air Force Falcons football; held a variety of staff positions; former commander of the Keesler Technical Training Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi (1991-1992) 14 1997 2000 Oelstrom, Tad J.Tad J. Oelstrom USAFA 1965 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Vietnam War and Gulf War veteran; Director of the National Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2001-present) 15 2000 2003 Dallager, John R.John R. Dallager USAFA 1969 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; Vietnam War veteran; resigned as Superintendent in the wake of the 2003 sexual assault scandal; demoted to major general upon his retirement 16 2003 2005 Rosa, John W.John W. Rosa Citadel 1973 Lieutenant general; fighter pilot; later served as president of The Citadel, (2005-present) 17 2005 2009 Regni, John F.John F. Regni USAFA 1973 Lieutenant general; personnel officer; commander of Air University (2004-2005) 18 2009 present Gould, Michael C.Michael C. Gould USAFA 1976 Lieutenant general; transport and tanker pilot; commander of Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center (2000-2002); Director of mobility forces for Operation Joint Endeavor and as U.S. European Command's Air Expeditionary Task Force commander for the deployment of African Union troops into the Darfur region of Sudan

Hubert R. Harmon Albert P. Clark James R. Allen Kenneth L. Tallman Winfield W. Scott Jr. Bradley C. Hosmer Tad J. Oelstrom John F. Regni Michael C. Gould

See also

• List of United States Military Academy Superintendents
• List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy