Robert Gates

CIA director, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and university president

Photo by: Monica King, United States Army · Public Domain · Wikimedia Commons

Born:September 25, 1943

Age:83

Zodiac Sign:Libra

Born in:Wichita, United States

Languages:English, Russian

Air Force Officer Politician

Signature

Links

Wikipedia IMDb

Famous For

Movies & TV

Thank You for Your Service

Books

Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at WarSlužba: paměti ministra obrany ve válce

Awards

Presidential Medal of Freedom (2011)Annenberg Award for Excellence in Diplomacy (2011)Philadelphia Liberty MedalGrand Cordon of the Order of the Rising SunPresidential Citizens Medal

Robert Gates

CIA director, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and university president

Biography

Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011 and as the 15th director of central intelligence from 1991 to 1993 as a member of the Republican Party. He has been the 24th chancellor of the College of William and Mary since 2012. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the United States Air Force but was quickly recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Gates served for twenty-six years in the CIA and at the National Security Council, and was director of central intelligence under President George H. W. Bush. After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton that studied the lessons of the Iraq War. Gates was nominated by President George W. Bush as secretary of defense in 2006, replacing Donald Rumsfeld. He was confirmed with bipartisan support. He continued to serve as secretary of defense under President Barack Obama and retired in 2011. In 2007, Time named Gates one of the year's most influential people, and in 2008 he was named one of America's Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report. Gates was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, by President Obama during his retirement ceremony. Since leaving the Obama administration, Gates was elected president of the Boy Scouts of America, served as chancellor of the College of William & Mary, and served as a member on several corporate boards. In 2012, Gates was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

This biography uses content from the Wikipedia article “Robert Gates”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Quotes

“I looked into his eyes and I didn't see his soul, but a cold-blooded killer. Gates to George W Bush, as quoted in "On GPS: Gates on Putin, 27 February 2022" (2006)”

“It has become clear that America’s civilian institutions of diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned and underfunded for far too long – relative to what we spend on the military, and more important, relative to the responsibilities and challenges our nation has around the world.”

— Speech to U.S. Global Leadership Campaign (Washington, D.C.), 2008-07-15.

“Most governments lie to each other. That’s the way business gets done.”

— CNN interview, 2011-06-19. [1]

Quotes sourced from the Wikiquote article "Robert Gates", available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Photos

Official portrait of United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, right, and former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, left, share a laugh at the portrait unveiling ceremony for Gates at the Pentagon on Oct. 29, 2012. Gates was the 22nd secretary of defense.

Ceremony at CIA Headquarters - Robert Gates awards Gregory Keough Intelligence Star for Extraordinary Heroism

Robert M. Gates, former Secretary of Defense, signs his new book “A Passion for Leadership” at the Marine Corps Exchange aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Feb. 1. Gates served as the 22nd Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alissa Schuning/Released) Unit: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing DVIDS Tags: United States; secretary of defense; MCAS Miramar; Robert Gates; APP49; Passion for Leadership

People wait for Robert M. Gates, former Secretary of Defense, to sign his new book, “A Passion for Leadership” at the Marine Corps Exchange aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Feb. 1. Gates served as the 22nd Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alissa Schuning/Released) Unit: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing DVIDS Tags: United States; secretary of defense; MCAS Miramar; Robert Gates; APP49; Passion for Leadership

(Left to right) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates promotes Army GEN Raymond Odierno prior to the Multi-National Force Iraq change of command at Camp Victory, Iraq, Tuesday Sep. 16, 2008. Secretary Gates is in Southwest Asia to meet with Iraqi and Afghan leaders and to preside over the changing of the Commanding General of Multi-National Force Iraq. (Defense Dept. photo by Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison) (CLEARED)

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addresses the audience during a military parade in honor of retiring U.S. Sens. John Warner and Duncan Hunter at Whipple Field on Fort Myer, Va., Sept. 24, 2008.