Robert Gates

Robert M. Gates was the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. He stepped down in 2011. Gates has a long and distinguished career in National Security Affairs.

Robert Michael Gates was born in Wichita, Kansas on September 25, 1943. As a child, he was involved in the Boy Scouts of America, eventually attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. His time in the BSA without a doubt instilled within him the values that would enable him to have a long career in public service and confer upon him a solid reputation that transverses party lines.

Robert Gates graduated Wichita High School East in 1961 and received a scholarship to attend the College of William and Mary, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts. in History. While attending William & Mary, Gates was an active member and president of the Alpha Phi Omega chapter and the Young Republicans. Gates attended Indiana University as a Graduate student and subsequently received a MA in History in 1966. In 1974, Gates completed his doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University. He received an Doctor of Humane Letters from William & Mary in 1998.

He married his wife Becky on January 7, 1967 after only knowing each other for three months when he proposed.

In 1966, then Grad student Gates was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1967, during the peak of the Vietnam War, Gates was drafted into the service as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. His duties were to brief Air crews as an intelligence officer. After he completed his service, he joined the Company. He departed from the CIA to serve on the the staff of the National Security Council, returning to the CIA in 1979. He then served as the Director of the Strategic Evaluation Center, Office of Strategic Research. In 1981, he was named the Director of the DCI/DDCI Executive Staff. Gates was promoted to Deputy Director for Intelligence(DDI). He served as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence from April 18, 1986 to March 20, 1989.

In 1987, he was nominated by President Reagan to serve as Director of Central Intelligence, DCI, but withdrew his name from consideration due to questions surrounding the level of involvement on his part in the Iran-Contra Affair. From 1989 to 1991, he again served in the Executive Office of the President as Deputy National Security Advisor. He was renominated for the DCI position by President George H. W. Bush and was confirmed by the Senate. He was sworn in on November 5th. He served for two years. As DCI, Gates not only served as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, but the Intelligence Community as a whole.

From 2002 to 2006, Robert Gates served as the 22nd President of Texas A&M. During his tenure, there was an attempt to recall him to public service to be the inaugural Director of National Intelligence. He declined. In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed him to serve on the Iraq Study Group. That same year, Donald Rumsfeld stepped down as Secretary of Defense and Gates was nominated to be his replacement. Gates subsequently resigned from the ISG to accept the appointment. He was confirmed by the Senate by a wide margin.

Gates continued to serve as Secretary of Defense until his retirement on July 1, 2011. He was replaced by CIA Director Leon Panetta.

Gates was named Chancellor of The College of William and Mary on September 6th, 2011. He will succeed Sandra Day O’Connor upon the completion of her term in February, 2012.