Col. Russell Gohn is the Deputy Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. He is responsible for the combined C-5M and C-17A wing providing worldwide movement of high-priority personnel and cargo. Dover AFB is home to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, the Department of Defense’s largest aerial port and the Air Mobility Command Museum.
Colonel Gohn graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 2000. He has flown as an evaluator and instructor aircraft commander in the C-5, C-21 and KC-135, including operating in the Special Operations Low Level II program. Colonel Gohn has served in multiple joint roles, including deployments in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom for the Central Command Deployed Distribution Operations Cell. Additionally, he deployed as the 351st Expeditionary Refueling Squadron Director of Operations during Operation Unified Protector. Colonel Gohn was an Honor Graduate of Advanced Studies in Air Mobility, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Gohn was the Deputy Chief of Staff, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
He is a Command Pilot with more than 3,000 hours in the C-5A/ B, C-21A, KC-135R and C-17A.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science in Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Master of Business Administration, Texas A&M University-Commerce
2009 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Master of Science in Logistics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Columbus, Ohio
2015 Joint Professional Military Education Level II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
May 2000 – October 2000, Executive Officer to the Commandant of Cadets, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
October 2000 – December 2001, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
December 2001 – December 2004, C-5 Aircraft Commander, Scheduler and Training Officer, 3rd Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
December 2004 – March 2006, C-5 Instructor, Wing Training Manager and Wing Airlift Director, 436th Operational Support Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
March 2006 – October 2007, C-21 Evaluator, Chief Standardization and Evaluation and Flight Commander, 458th Airlift Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
October 2007 – May 2010, C-21 Evaluator, Wing Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Wing Exercises and Inspections, 375th Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
May 2010 – May 2013, Director of Operations, Assistant Director of Operations and KC-135 Evaluator, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
May 2013 – June 2014, Student, Advanced Studies of Air Mobility, JBMDL, N.J.
June 2014 – June 2016, Chief, Assessments and Plans Support Team and Air Analyst, Resources and Assessments, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
June 2016 – August 2017, Chief of Safety and KC-135 Pilot, 36th Air Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
August 2017 – June 2019, Commander, 734th Air Mobility Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam
June 2019 - September 2021, Chief and Deputy Chief, Plans and Strategy Division; Chief, Contingency Plans Branch; and Contingency Planner; Strategy, Plans, Requirements and Programs Directorate, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
September 2021 - October 2021, Director of Operations, 618th Air Operations Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
November 2021 - June 2022, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
June 2022 - present, Deputy Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2014 – June 2016, Chief, Assessments and Plans Support Team and Air Analyst (J8), U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T1, C-5, C-21, KC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major Feb. 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2015
Colonel Oct. 1, 2021
(Current as of July 2022)