General Gamble entered the Air Force in 1967 through the four-year Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M University. He flew 394 combat missions as a forward air controller in the O-1 Bird Dog in Vietnam. He has commanded a fighter squadron and three wings. Before assuming his current position, he was deputy chief of staff for air and space operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

- 1967 Bachelor of arts degree in mathematics, Texas A&M University, College Station

- 1978 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

- 1978 Master of business administration and management degree, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.

- 1984 Distinguished graduate, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala

1. December 1967 - January 1969, student, undergraduate pilot training, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas

2. February 1969 - April 1969, forward air controller training, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

3. May 1969 - May 1970, forward air controller, O-1 Bird Dog, Duc Hoa Village, South Vietnam

4. May 1970 - November 1970, student, F-102 interceptor training, Perrin Air Force Base, Texas

5. November 1970 - January 1971, F-106 upgrade pilot training, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

6. February 1971 - January 1974, life support officer, F-106 instructor pilot and flight commander, 460th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.

7. January 1974 - January 1975, Air Staff Training Assignment, Directorate of Personnel Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

8. January 1975 - July 1977, chief of standardization and evaluation, 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Mich.

9. August 1977 - July 1978, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

10. July 1978 - May 1981, chief, Air Threat Analysis Group (Red Team), Project Checkmate, Directorate of Operations and Readiness, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

11. May 1981 - June 1983, commander, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

12. July 1983 - June 1984, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

13. June 1984 - July 1986, chief, Operations Management and Analysis Division; chief, Contingency Plans Division; deputy director, then director, Personnel Plans and Systems, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.

14. July 1986 - April 1988, director of operations, then vice commander, 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

15. April 1988 - June 1989, commander, 18th Combat Support Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan

16. June 1989 - June 1990, commander, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea

17. June 1990 - June 1992, executive officer to the Air Force chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

18. August 1992 - June 1993, commander, 58th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

19. June 1993 - November 1994, commandant of cadets and commander, 34th Training Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

20. November 1994 - August 1996, assistant chief of staff, Operations and Logistics Division, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium

21. August 1996 - November 1997, commander, Alaskan Command, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, 11th Air Force and Joint Task Force Alaska, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska

22. November 1997 - July 1998, deputy chief of staff, Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

23. July 1998 - April 2001, commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii

Retired  - May 1, 2001

Rating: Command pilot

Flight hours: More than 3,100

Aircraft flown: O-1, F-102A,TF-102A, F-106A/B, F-16A/B/C/D and F-15C/D

Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Legion of Merit

Distinguished Flying Cross

Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal

Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three oak leaf clusters

Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with service star

Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Honor Medal First Class

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

NATO Medal

1976 Member, William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Competition Team, 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

1982 Team leader, William Tell Air-to-Air Competition Team, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

Second Lieutenant Dec 13, 1967

First Lieutenant Jun 13, 1969

Captain Dec 13, 1970

Major Jun 1, 1976

Lieutenant Colonel Sep 1, 1980

Colonel Sep 1, 1985

Brigadier General Nov 1, 1991

Major General Sep 28, 1994

Lieutenant General Sep 1, 1996

General Oct 1, 1998

1975 "F-106 Delta Dart," Flying Combat Aircraft of the USAAF-USAF, The Iowa State University Press

1976 "You've Got the Lead," Interceptor Weapons Newsletter

1984 The Dacha Conversations, Defense Technical Information Center 

As a newly promoted Major, Gamble participated in  William Tell 1976 with the 87th FIS "Red Bulls" K.I. Sawyer AFB, MI. He served as the Squadrons Chief of Standardization and Evaluation.

One of the better known F-106 squadrons, the 87th FIS Red Bulls frequently carried art on their aircraft. During William Tell 76 General Gamble's aircraft (S/N 59-0091) was painted with this "Gig 'Em" design.

Gen Gamble son of former 25th Air Division Commander Maj Gen Jack Gamble, was credited for spearheading improvements to Squadron training, facilities and overall quality of life of the Green Dragons. This improvements were influential factors that helped the squadron to be recognized as the best Fighter Squadron in the Air Force by winning the coveted Hughes Trophy in 1984.

The traditional commanders designation for squadron in the Air Defense Command  series of bands wrapped around the fuselage of the aircraft assigned to the commander of the squadron. In the picture above, F-106A S/N 59-0054 can be seen with the 3 bands denoting that it was the squadron "flagship". A few years before being slected as the squadron's "flagship" 054 was involved in a midair collision with a A-7D during  Red Flag 78 at Nellis AFB, AZ. The aircraft it replaced F-106A 59-004 was destroyed on 24 June 1980 in a crash miles short of the McChord runway killing pilot Mark Van Stone.

During his time at the 318th, Gen Gamble proved to be one of the Squadrons better pilots this proven by his airmanship during William Tell 1982. Flying the 20+ year F-106 Delta Dart against newer F-4 Phantom and F-15 Eagle, the squadron was in position to win the overall Team Championship, until the final days of the event after faulty missiles and a starter component aboard one of the F-106's doomed the Squadrons chance for the trophy.  In the picture above Gamble is pictured in his mount for the competition S/N 59-0147, armed with a M61 "Six Shooter" gunpod.

The then Lt Col Gamble is pictured again in -0147 (the second to the last F-106 produced) scrambling in the air with his wingman, Capt Ron Dufresne (in S/N 56-0457) during a William Tell mission profile in 1982.