Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks ’96 discusses the absolute importance of standards and integrity in leadership, and how a new, more rigorous approach at the Academy will build that in to cadets making them Day-1 leaders.

SUMMARY

Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks, Commandant of the Air Force Academy, shares his journey from being a young man in Atlanta, Georgia to becoming a pilot and eventually serving as the Commandant. He discusses his experiences at the Air Force Academy, including basic cadet training and the challenges he faced. General Marks emphasizes the importance of perseverance, leaning on support networks, and maintaining high standards in leadership. He also reflects on the impact of the Academy on his personal and professional development. General Gavin Marks reflects on his personal journey and the impact of his wife on his military career. He discusses the importance of being adaptable and humble as a leader and the unique responsibilities of command. He shares his decision to return to the Air Force Academy and the changes he is implementing to better prepare cadets for the challenges of great power competition. General Marks emphasizes the love and passion that the leaders at the Academy have for developing future officers and encourages listeners to continue dreaming big.

 

OUR FAVORITE QUOTES

"How you do anything is how you do everything."

"There's always somebody better."

"I want to make sure that they feel like they got their money's worth from a military development perspective or military training perspective." 

"The leaders at the Air Force Academy, from top to bottom, love deeply, deeply love the institution, and are incredibly passionate about the development of these young men and women into officers in the Air Force and the Space Force."

"Continue to dream big. Don't let anyone dissuade you from goals that you have. And as it relates specifically to the Air Force Academy, it is absolutely worth it."

 

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CHAPTERS

00:00 :  Introduction and Background
01:53 :  Returning to the Air Force Academy
02:52 :  Young Gavin Marks: Childhood and Calling to Serve
07:04 :  Challenges and Growth in Basic Cadet Training
08:29 :  Lessons in Leadership and Perseverance
11:45 :  Choosing the Air Force Academy and Pilot Training
15:06 :  Reflections on the Academy's Impact
20:52 :  Leadership Experiences as a Cadet
23:43 :  Lessons in Leadership and Perception
27:55 :  Successes and Career Progression
32:35 :  Meeting His Wife and Reflecting on Tinker Air Force Base
37:25 :  Personal Journey and the Impact of Relationships
57:54 :  Changes in the Life of a Cadet
01:05:48 :  Challenges and Partnerships
01:09:39 :  Rigor and Expectations
01:11:09 :  Love and Passion for Developing Future Officers
01:12:34 :  The Value and Worth of Attending the Air Force Academy

 

TAKEAWAYS

• The importance of perseverance, resilience, and grit in overcoming challenges, especially during difficult experiences like the Air Force Academy.


• The value of having a strong support network, including family and friends, to help navigate challenging times.


• The significance of leadership roles and experiences during the Air Force Academy in shaping one's development and future success.


• The Air Force Academy's focus on evolving its training and development methods to better prepare cadets for the challenges of great power competition.


• The deep passion and commitment of the Air Force Academy's leadership in developing leaders of character who are ready to serve their country.

 

ABOUT GEN. MARKS

BRIG. GEN. MARKS' BIO

Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks is the Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He commands the 4,300-member Cadet Wing and more than 200 Air Force and civilian personnel. He guides military, leadership, character development, Basic Cadet Training and Expeditionary Skills Training for the Air Force Cadet Wing in addition to providing facilities and logistical support. 

Brig. Gen. Marks earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1996 and his pilot wings from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, in 1998. Brig. Gen. Marks has served as a T-1A instructor pilot (at both the undergraduate and graduate training levels) and flight examiner, an E-3B/C instructor pilot and flight examiner, an Air Force Intern, a staff officer on multiple joint staffs, and has commanded at the squadron and wing levels. 

Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Director, Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.  

Brig. Gen. Marks is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours in the T-3, T-37, T-1A, E-3B/C/G, RC-135S/U/V, TC-135W, OC-135B, and WC-135C aircraft.  

- Copy credit:  AF.MIL

 

CONNECT WITH GEN. MARKS

INSTAGRAM: @‌USAFACOMMANDANT

 

 

ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

OUR SPEAKERS

Guest:  Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks ’96  |  Host:  Naviere Walkewicz ’99

 

Naviere Walkewicz 00:01

My guest today is Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks, USAFA Class of ’96, and currently serving as the commandant of the Air Force Academy. This is his third command position since becoming a member of the Air Force. Gen. Marks was drawn to service as a young man in Atlanta, Georgia, and joined the Junior ROTC program in high school before coming to the Academy in 1992. After he graduated, he became a pilot and flew for 26 years, in addition to continuing his personal and professional development. In 2000, Gen. Marks graduated with distinction from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. In 2015, he again graduated with distinction from the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. He has held command positions at the squadron and wing levels. His attachment to the Academy has remained strong, so much so that 20 years ago, he committed to returning and had been working his way back to USAFA when he was called to service, assuming his role as commandant in 2023. Gen. Marks, it is a pleasure. Welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Thank you for being here.

 

Brig. Gen. Marks 01:03

Thank you very much. It is an honor for me to be here. It really is.

 

Naviere Walkewicz 01:07

This is an exciting time for us, because especially for me, being a Class of 1999 — “Gold will shine” — I had to get that in there. We go back to Arnold Hall in Basic Cadet Training, when you were the commandant of cadets during Basic Cadet Training for us. So I remember you vividly as your taps from your shoes hit the floor in Arnold Hall. So this is truly a pleasure, sir, thank you.

 

Brig. Gen. Marks 01:29

It is absolutely surreal to be back, and especially during this period that we're in right now during Basic Cadet Training, and as I interact with basic cadets and the cadre, it's hard not to reminisce about that time. It's hard not to share stories as well. I'm careful that I don't inundate the cadets with my stories of when I was the Basic Cadet Training commander. But it's just it's absolutely wonderful to be back here. Yeah, really is.

 

Naviere Walkewicz 01:53

Well, we'll get to hear some of those, I think, you know, from your perspective, back then, and also, more recently, as we weave through this podcast. But really excited. And where we like to start is when we go back to young Gavin Marks. So Gen. Marks, tell us about what you were like as a child.

 

Brig. Gen. Marks 02:08

My mother would tell you that I was precocious, that I was inquisitive. I was very, very talkative as well. So I have an older brother, and we are the sons of two parents that have been married for 55 years, and that's important, because 55 years is a lon