Lt. Gen. Michael Gould became the 18th superintendent of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., at a ceremony there June 9. Gould was nominated for the academy’s top post in February to replace Lt. Gen. John Regni who is retiring, effective July 1. Regni led the academy since October 2005. Gould had been serving since last June as director of operations and plans for US Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill. “There is no more noble and important mission than the one we have here,” Gould said upon assuming his new post. He added, “We are responsible for developing future leaders.” Gould is a class of 1976 academy graduate and is the first superintendant to graduate from the US Air Force Prep School. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, who presided over the leadership change ceremony, said the academy is “in good hands” under Gould. (Colorado Springs report by SSgt. Eric Bolt)
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…