Board of Directors

Lieutenant General Michael A. Hough (Ret.), Director

Lieutenant General Michael A. Hough (Ret.) has over 30 years of senior management experience with demonstrated dynamic leadership across a broad spectrum of challenges within the service, joint and coalition arenas. Before retiring from active duty in 2006, Lieutenant General Hough served as Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC and was responsible for all planning, programming, resourcing, training, transition, and transformation for Marine Corps aviation. Lieutenant General Hough partnered with Department of Defense (DoD) in the construct of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) acquisition strategy and formalized the JSF international partner acquisition strategy and FMS policy which is now the model for many joint/service acquisition programs in the DoD.

Serving as Deputy Director of JSF Program and then the Director of JSF Program, Lieutenant General Hough directed the execution of the JSF Risk Reduction and Demonstration Phase. Lieutenant General Hough led logistics transformation in the DoD with the implementation of autonomic logistics and performance based logistics concepts in the JSF program and all Marine Corps aviation programs. He initiated and implemented innovative integrated training concepts which saved billions of dollars in aircraft procurement costs. In addition, Lieutenant General Hough is the architect of the Marine Corps Aviation Campaign Plan 2015 and the primary player in the Naval Sea Basing Vision.

Enlisting into the U.S. Navy in 1963, Lieutenant General Hough has held a number of notable positions including: flight instructor, ALO and Operation’s Officer of BLT 2/9, Commanding Officer of VMFA-312 (F/A-18). In 1991, Colonel Hough served as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation until ordered in February 1992 to assume command of Marine Aircraft Group 24, Kaneohe, Hawaii. Upon completion of his tour in MAG-24 in February 1993, he was assigned as the Branch Head, Aviation Weapons Systems Requirements Branch, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC, where he was selected for promotion to brigadier general in January 1995. He served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Expeditionary Forces Programs, (Research Development & Acquisition).

General Hough's personal decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one gold star, Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, Navy Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon.