Donald G. Cook

Biography

General Donald G. Cook, also known as Don, served as Four Star General of the United States Air Force from December 2001 to August 1, 2005. Gen. Cook served as Commander of Air Education and Training Command, at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas from 2001 to 2005 and was responsible for the recruiting, training and education of Air Force people. Gen. Cook served as a Commander of a flying training wing, two space wings and the 20th Air Force. He served as a Command Pilot and flew more than 3,300 hours in B-52, T-37 and T-38 aircraft. Previously, he served as Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, United States Air Force, from June 1999 to December 2001 and Vice Commander Air Force Space Command from August 1998 to June 1999. He served as a General since December 2001. Gen. Cook served 36 years of service in USAF, which includes command of the United States intercontinental ballistic missile force and director for expeditionary aerospace force implementation at U.S. Air Force headquarters. His Command included the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered air forces and Air University. He also served as Legislative Liaison in the Senate Liaison Office, on the staff of the House Armed Services Committee. Gen. Cook joined the Air Force in 1969 through the Reserve Officers' Training Company program. He has been a Director of Beechcraft Corporation (formerly Hawker Beechcraft Inc) since August 2007. He has been an Independent Director of Crane Co. since August 2, 2005. Gen. Cook has been a Director of Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC., since September 15, 2005. He serves as Director of USAA Federal Savings Bank. He serves as Member of Advisory Board at Correlated Magnetics Research LLC. Gen. Cook holds B.S. degree in Communication Arts from Michigan State University. In 1975, he graduated from Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama and in 1976, he received an M.B.A. degree from Southern Illinois University. He attended the Armed Services Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1982, the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, in 1987 and in 1996, he took a National Security Leadership Course at Syracuse University and John Hopkins University.

Research Interest

Business and Management