John F. Goodman

Early life and education Goodman was born and raised in Sacramento County, California. He played football, basketball, and baseball while attending Encina High School. As the varsity quarterback, he earned All Conference, All City, All Sacramento County, and All Superior California honors his senior year. Goodman was also selected to the Sacramento All City and All County baseball teams. Goodman graduated from high school in 1963. He was offered athletic scholarships to a number of universities, including USC. During signing week, he chose to attend Arizona State University. He reported to rookie camp, made the Saints team, and then deferred playing football while he was on "government loan".

From 1985 to 1986, Goodman was the Assistant Division Air Officer for 3d Marine Division, then returned to El Toro after conversion training to the F/A-18 Hornet. After serving as the executive officer of the VMFA-531, the Assistant Group Operations Officer for Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10, and the group operations officer for Marine Aircraft Group 11, he assumed command of VMFA-531 on 28 October 1988.

In June 1990, he went to Marine Corps Base Quantico, as a member of the first class of the Marine Corps War College. During the academic year, he served as the Air Plans Officer for I Marine Expeditionary Force in Kuwait for the Gulf War. Following end of hostilities, he completed War College and was assigned as the director of the School of Advanced Warfighting.

In July 1993, Goodman assumed command of Marine Aircraft Group 41 at Naval Air Station Dallas. In July 1995, he returned to Quantico as the deputy director of the MAGTF Staff Training Program. Promoted to brigadier general in May 1997, he assumed the position of director, strategy, policy and plans (J5) of United States Southern Command in June 1997, becoming the chief of staff in May 1998. In July 1999, he returned to Quantico as the director, Warfighting Development Integration Division.

He was frocked to major general in June 2001 and took command of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade on 6 July 2001. From 5 August 2002 until 3 June 2004, he commanded the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Okinawa. Goodman also served as the commander, Marine Forces Korea and assistant chief of staff, U/C/J-5, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea from June 4, 2004, until June 17, 2005. On June 20, 2005, he reported for duty as deputy commander, and later as the commander of, Marine Forces Pacific.

Goodman logged more than 4100 hours in tactical jet aircraft while in the Marine Corps.

Joint Task Force Caring Response In 2008, after Cyclone Nargis ravaged Burma, Goodman commanded U.S. Joint Task Force Caring Response. Goodman, on numerous occasions, offered Burma's military government the use of helicopters and surface craft to support humanitarian relief efforts in the most difficult-to-reach areas of the Irrawaddy Delta. The U.S. flew more than 116 flights, delivering more than 2.2 million pounds of needed relief supplies to the Rangoon hub.

Other notable work As MARFORPAC commander, Goodman also led the development of U.S. Pacific Command's Consequence Support Force 503 functional plan to address the United States' military response to the threat of an Avian Influenza Pandemic outbreak in the Asia-Pacific region.

On September 25, 2007, Goodman conducted the promotion ceremony for Jim Nabors at Fort DeRussy in Honolulu, Hawaii. Nabors, who played PFC Gomer Pyle on a TV show of the same name, was promoted to Honorary Corporal in the United States Marine Corps based on his outstanding contributions to the Marine Corps and the United States.

Retirement On August 22, 2008, Goodman retired after over 41 years of active and reserve military service. At his retirement/change of command ceremony, held on the flight line at U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, CMC General James Conway said of LtGen. Goodman: (Being) the commandant has lots of things that cause you to wake up at three in the morning and stare at the ceiling, but one of those, frankly the last three years, has not been Marine Forces, Pacific, because we know of the command team that we have in place".

Post–Marine Corps career Disaster preparedness and response On October 17, 2008, Goodman became the director of the U.S. Department of Defense's Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, "responsible for educating, training and preparing U.S. military and international governments in disaster preparedness and response."

Goodman currently is an advisor and subject matter expert with the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), where he addresses the "effectiveness and efficiency in the U.S.-funded reconstruction program in Afghanistan."

Goodman is a member of ASU's Flag Officer Advisory Council.

Personal life Goodman married Gayle Stevenson in 1967 before leaving for Vietnam. They have three sons — two of their sons served in the Marine Corps.

On October 29, 2010, Goodman was honored, along with all Sun Devil Quarterbacks, at a Legends Luncheon hosted by the Arizona State University Alumni Association and Sun Devil Club. Other honorees included Danny White, Andrew Walter, Jake Plummer, and Jeff van Raaphorst.

On April 29, 2011, Goodman was the 1st inductee into the Encina High School Hall of Fame. Goodman was inducted into the San Juan School District Hall of Fame on November 1, 2013.

On November 20, 2015, Goodman was highlighted as part of the Pac-12 Conference's Centennial celebration. The Conference highlighted 100 Pac-12 student-athlete alumni who have had tremendous success off the field of play—in their careers and in their communities.

Award and decorations

Goodman also received several awards of both the Rifle and Pistol Expert badges.