Major Rex A. Gooch is a native of St Louis Missouri where he resides with his wife Patricia, and his daughter Christine. Major Gooch enlisted in the USAF Reserve in 1974, serving two years active duty as a flight crew medic. During that time, he logged over 1,000 hours on the C-9A medical evacuation aircraft and attained the rank of sergeant.  He was commissioned in the USAF Reserve through AFROTC in 1978 at Det. 207, Saint Louis University. He began his civilian career as a police officer in the Saint Louis area that same year. His reserve service has included; Instructor Air Weapons Controller, Weapons and Tactics Officer;  Security Police Flight Commander;  Security Police Operations Officer;  Security Police Squadron Commander,  Reserve Chief of Police; and additional duty USAF Academy / AFROTC  Admissions Liaison Officer.  Major Gooch was recalled during Operation Desert Storm where he replaced the active duty Security Police Operations Officer at Lackland AFB Texas.  He was selected as the Air Training Command Outstanding Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Security Police Officer of the Year in 1990. He was called to active duty in 1992 to work counter drug operations in Central and South America from Headquarters US Southern Command, Republic of Panama. In his civilian occupation, he is a police captain for the Maryland Heights Police Department, St Louis County Missouri. He has served as the officer responsible for Department Internal Affairs, Staff Inspection and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) assessment program.  His civilian law enforcement assignments have included patrol, evidence, detective investigations and supervision, traffic safety and police motorcycle operations.  He has provided supervision and guidance of security and police motorcycle escort operations for three US Presidents.  As a former detective sergeant, he was a member of the St Louis Major Case Squad and an Adjunct Police Academy Instructor.

Major Gooch is a life member of the Air Force Association, a charter member of the USAF Security Police Officers Association, the Military Officers Association of America, the Reserve Officers Association, the American Legion, the Military Order of the World Wars, the National Sojourners and the Fraternal Order of Police. EDUCATION 1978 - Bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice, University of Missouri - St Louis 1986 - Combined Air Warfare School, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama 1987 - Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama 1999 - School of Police Staff and Command, Northwestern University - Chicago  ASSIGNMENTS 1974 - 1976, Flight Crew Medic, 73rd Aeromedical Evacuation Sq, 932nd Airlift Group, Scott AFB, Illinois 1975 - Student, Lackland AFB, Texas;   Keesler AFB, Mississippi;   Sheppard AFB,Texas 1976 - 1978, AFROTC Det 207, St Louis University, St Louis Missouri 1978 - 1986, Air Weapons Controller,157th Tactical Control Flight, Missouri ANG, Jefferson Barracks Missouri 1980 - Student, Disaster Preparedness Mobility Team School, Lowery AFB, Denver Colorado 1981 - Student, Air Weapons Controller radar school, Tyndall AFB, Florida 1986 - 1991, IMA Operations Officer, 3700th Security Police Squadron, Lackland AFB, San Antonio Texas 1986 - 1991, attached, active duty relief Flight Commander 351st Security Police Sq, Whiteman AFB, Missouri 1991 - 1994, IMA Squadron Commander & Chief of Police, 37th Security Police Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX 1992 - Counter Drug Operations Project Officer, HQ US Southern Command, Quarry Heights Panama 1994 - 1997, IMA Squadron Commander & Chief of Police, 375th Security Police Squadron, Scott AFB, Illinois 1978 - 1997, additional duty Admissions Liaison Officer, 9001st Air Reserve Sq, USAF Academy, Colorado SPECIALTY BADGES USAF Aircrew Wings USAF Senior Air Weapons Controller Badge USAF Senior Security Police Badge USAF Combat Crew Badge USAF Medic Badgee USAF Commander Badge AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Reserve Meritorious Service Medal Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal with mobilization device and silver hour glass USAF Outstanding Unit Citation with two oak leaf clusters USAF Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster USAF Longevity Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters USAF Honor Graduate Ribbon USAF Small Arms Ribbon with star USAF Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster State of Missouri Vietnam War Service Medal Missouri National Guard Longevity Ribbon EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Airman - August 29, 1974 Sergeant - April 6, 1976 Second Lieutenant - May 14, 1978 First Lieutenant - May 13, 1981 Captain - March 6, 1983 Major - June 6, 1991 Major Retired - 2 December, 1997

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