Trinity Classical Academy is inviting retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Patrick J. Gough to the dais for the next installment of the school’s Distinguished Speaker Series next week.

Gough will speak at the Trinity Classical Academy campus on “The Core of the Corps: How the Values of the United States Marine Corps Address the Challenges of Our World” on Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
The event is free for any who wish to attend.

Gough had an outstanding and distinguished career for 30 years in the United State Marines Corp, and as Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 39, he was equivalent to the CEO of the Marine Corps’ largest Air Wing, numbering 600 aircraft and 15,000 personnel.

He was also the Operations Officer (G-3) for I Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF), responsible for over 96,000 Marines during combat operations in Iraq.

Col. Gough Speaks at Trinity
Colonel Gough graduated from California State Fullerton in 1980 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps and became a Naval Aviator in 1981. He has served as an AH-IT Cobra Attack helicopter pilot and Aviation Ordnance Officer, and Forward Air Controller/Air Officer in the Western Pacific.

In 1987, he served aboard the USS Okinawa in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Earnest Will as Squadron Tactics Head, Flight Leader mission planner. In 1988, he served as AH-1 Weapons and Tactics Instructor, and later deployed again to the Persian Gulf in 1990 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

He later was deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In August 1996, he was assigned as the US Special Operations Command Team Chief, responsible for managing numerous classified programs addressing Information Operations, Information Warfare, and Command and Control Warfare in support of special operations training and “real world” requirements.

Concurrently, he founded, developed, published, and edited the first of its kind periodical on Joint Information Operations called “Cyber Sword.” In 2005, Colonel Gough assumed command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. In 2006, he served his 8th deployment to the Al Anbar province in Iraq, flying daily combat sorties.

Colonel Gough has attended the US Air Force, Air Command and Staff College and graduated with Distinction from the Naval War College receiving a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. Lieutenant Colonel Gough was the first Marine to be named to the prestigious Mahan Scholars Program at the Naval War College.

As such, he was tasked with developing the “Marine Corps’ Component of the Maritime Strategy in the Global War on Terrorism in 2015” for the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Colonel Gough has achieved over 3,800 flight hours, and has been awarded the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Air Medal with the Numeral 2, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and numerous other unit and personal awards.

About Trinity Classical Academy
Trinity Classical Academy is a coeducational, college preparatory, independent, liberal arts transitional kindergarten through twelfth grade school that was founded in 2001 with 28 students on the classical, Christian educational model. With enrollment over 565 students, Trinity is one of the largest classical, Christian schools in the country. The mission of Trinity Classical Academy has remained consistent: to offer a challenging education, grounded in the Christian faith and the classical tradition to produce young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose and courage.

Trinity’s Distinguished Speaker Series
Since its inception, Trinity has been committed to extending educational opportunities and enriching the academic culture beyond the classroom and into the community. Trinity Classical Academy’s Speaker Series features leaders, pioneers and trailblazers in their fields whose life choices have influenced others and changed lives. Past speakers have included the late Olympian, author, POW and Inspirational Speaker Louis Zamperini; radio hosts Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager; and noted actor and producer Kirk Cameron.