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First Name: Gregory

Last Name: Martin

Birthplace: Fort Myer, VA, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Air Force (1947 - present)



Middle Name: S.



Date of Birth: 24 April 1948



Rank: General

Years Served: 1970-2005
Gregory S. Martin
'Speedy'

   
Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1970

Engagements:
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)

Biography:

Gregory S. Martin

General, U.S. Air Force

Gregory S. Martin was born on 24 April 1948 in Fort Myer, VA, and graduated from the Landon School, Bethesda, MD, in 1966.

After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. While at the Academy, he was a 1969 National Collegiate Parachuting Champion. Martin flew 161 combat missions in Southeast Asia, and then served as an instructor pilot. In 1977, he received a Master's degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University. With this experience, he was tapped to command the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron; 479th Tactical Fighter Training Wing; and the 33rd and 1st Fighter Wings.

He later served as Vice Director of the Joint Staff's Force Structure and Resources Directorate, Director of Operational Requirements for the U.S. Air Force, and Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.

On 1 June 2000, Martin was promoted to the four-star rank of General and assigned as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe (CINCUSAFE) and Commander, Allied Air Forces Northern Europe (COMAIRNORTH). In 2003, he became Commander, Air Force Materiel Command (COMAFMC).

General Martin retired from the Air Force on 1 September 2005. During his service, he became a Command Pilot and Master Parachutist. He logged over 4, 600 flight hours in F-4, F-15, C-20 and C-21 aircraft.

Controversy

In 2004, Martin was nominated to succeed Admiral Thomas B. Fargo as Combatant Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, the first non-Navy nominee for this prestigious post. However, he suffered collateral damage from the Darleen Druyun procurement scandal. During his 6 October confirmation hearing for the Pacific command post before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator John McCain asked how Druyun's deceit had gone unnoticed. Martin, who had worked closely with Druyun in 1998-99 while he held the position of Principal Deputy in Acquisition said in response "I'm not an expert in contracting," and "I saw nothing that she was doing that was inappropriate or in any way illegal." McCain replied, "Now I question whether you have the quality to command." McCain called the Boeing deal "a national disgrace" and vowed to hold Martin's nomination in the Senate Armed Services Committee "until we get all of the e-mails and all of the answers." Committee Chairman John W. Warner supported McCain, and Martin withdrew his name the same day. Prior to this event, Martin had been considered the likely successor to Air Force Chief of Staff John P. Jumper.

Education

1970 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

1974 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

1977 Master's degree in Business Management, Central Michigan University

1978 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

1979 National Security Management, by correspondence

1986 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC

1987 Seminar XXI - Foreign Political and International Relations, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

1991 Advanced Management Program, Duke University, Durham, NC

Assignments

August 1970 - August 1971, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laredo AFB, TX.

August 1971 - May 1972, student, F-4 replacement training, George AFB, CA.

May 1972 - October 1972, F-4 Aircraft Commander, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.

October 1972 - June 1973, F-4 flight leader, 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

June 1973 - June 1976, F-4 Instructor Pilot, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM.

June 1976 - July 1977, Assignment Officer, Air Staff Training Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, DC.

July 1977 - August 1978, Aide to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

August 1978 - October 1981, F-15 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ.

October 1981 - August 1985, Chief of Wing Training, 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later, Operations Officer, later, Commander, 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan.

August 1985 - June 1986, student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington.

June 1986 - July 1988, Chief, Continental U.S. Bases and Units Division, later, Chief of Tactical Programs for the Air Staff's Directorate of Programs and Resources, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

July 1988 - July 1989, Vice Commander, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM.

July 1989 - August 1990, Executive Officer to the Commander, later, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, VA.

August 1990 - August 1991, Commander, 479th Tactical Training Wing, Holloman AFB, NM.

August 1991 - June 1993, Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, FL.

June 1993 - May 1995, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, VA.

May 1995 - July 1996, Deputy Director, later, Vice Director, Force Structure and Resources, the Joint Staff, Washington.

July 1996 - January 1997, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

January 1997 - July 1998, Director of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington.

July 1998 - January 2000, Principal Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington.

January 2000 - March 2000, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe; and Air Force Component Commander, U.S. European Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

March 2000 - August 2003, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Northern Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany.

August 2003 - August 2005, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.

Promotion Dates

Second Lieutenant - 3 June 1970

First Lieutenant - 3 December 1971

Captain - 3 December 1973

Major - 1 September 1979

Lieutenant Colonel - 1 December 1982

Colonel - 1 December 1986

Brigadier General - 1 July 1993

Major General - 1 July 1996

Lieutenant General - 27 July 1998

General - 1 June 2000

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit (3 Awards)

Distinguished Flying Cross

Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards)

Air Medal (12 Awards)

Air Force Commendation Medal

Medal of Commander of Order and Valor (Cameroon)

Medal of Merit, Gold (Netherlands)

Légion d'honneur (France)

Cross of Merit (First Class) of the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic

NATO Meritorious Service Medal

Badges

Command Pilot Badge
Master Parachutist Badge

Honors

1969 National Collegiate Parachuting Champion

2002 Honorary Doctorate, University of Maryland

2003 Air Force Order of the Sword, U.S. Air Forces in Europe

In Retirement

General Martin is currently a chair of the National Academies Air Force Studies Board.

He has served as an advisor to John Edwards' presidential campaign, is on the advisory board of a consultancy firm The Four Star Group, is board member and retired chairman of the Durango Group, and has served in other Pentagon capacities and been a consultant to "many defense sector firms."

In 2010, the Boston Globe reported on the Northrop Grumman approach to Martin at his retirement in 2005 and the call "a few weeks later [from] the Pentagon, asking him to join a top-secret Air Force panel studying the future of stealth aircraft technology." Northrop Grumman is the manufacturer of the B-2 stealth bomber. Martin accepted the job offer and agreed to the service request. The article examined the claim that such dual retirement roles for Martin and other generals and admirals is "ethical and beneficial for America's defense." Martin asserted it was. Seth Bonder, a fellow Pentagon panel member from the National Academy of Engineering, though, had not been made aware of the General's industry role during the two-year study and "said disclosure of potential conflicts would be desirable."



Honoree ID: 778   Created by: MHOH

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