Richard M. Clark

Richard Milo Clark (born July 29, 1964) is Executive Director of the College Football Playoff and a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general. He previously served as the 21st Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy from 2020 to 2024. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration. A bomber pilot, he graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1986.

Early life and education From Richmond, Virginia, Richard Milo Clark graduated from Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe High School, where he was an All-Metro offensive lineman in football and also stood out in track and field. Originally committed to play at William & Mary in Williamsburg, he took an interest in the United States Air Force Academy during his senior year, was accepted, and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Management. As a cadet, he was a four-year letterman on the football team at linebacker. During his senior season in 1985, the Falcons went 12–1 and were eighth in the final AP poll.

In 1991, Clark was named a distinguished graduate from Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base and, in 1994, he received a Master of Arts in human resource development at Webster University. In 2016, Clark took command of the Third Air Force at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and in 2018, he was named Deputy Air Force Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration. He began his duties on September 23, becoming the first black Superintendent to lead the institution.

Effective dates of promotions + Rank Date Second lieutenantMay 28, 1986 First lieutenantMay 28, 1988 CaptainMay 28, 1990 MajorSeptember 1, 1997 Lieutenant colonelMay 1, 2000 ColonelAugust 1, 2004 Brigadier generalNovember 18, 2009 Major generalJune 4, 2013 Lieutenant generalOctober 21, 2016