Lieutenant Colonel Richard “Paris” Gough is a native of Virginia and lived in multiple locations as a military dependent. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1998 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He served with 6th Engineer Support Battalion, Bridge Company Alpha as a combat engineer until he graduated from Western Michigan University in 2002 and accepted a commission in the United States Marine Corps.
LtCol Gough commissioned in January 2003, and upon graduating from The Basic School, he reported to Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola, Florida. He was designated a Naval Aviator in November 2005 and reported to the CH-46E fleet replacement squadron, HMMT-164, in San Diego, California. In May 2006 he reported to his first operational fleet squadron, HMM-364, at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California. In August 2006, He deployed to Al Taqaddum, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 2007, LtCol Gough was assigned to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing as the Aide de Camp and Staff Sec for 3rd MAW (Fwd) Commanding General, and in January 2008, deployed to Al Asad, Iraq. He extended his deployment to serve as the Marine Corps’ aviation liaison and to fly the OH-58 Kiowa with the US Army's 6-17th Air Cavalry Command during joint operations in Northern Iraq. In March 2009, LtCol Gough reported to the 6th Marine Corps District, Recruiting Station Columbia, South Carolina. He served as the Officer Selection Officer in Columbia, South Carolina, until July 2011 when he left to attend Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia. Upon completion, LtCol Gough checked into Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Marine and Family Programs Division, as the Aide de Camp while simultaneously attending Command and Staff College at Marine Corps University.
In 2013, LtCol Gough transitioned back to the Marine Corps Reserve and reported to HMM-774 in Norfolk, Virginia, to be the Assistant Operations Officer. In September 2015, LtCol Gough reported into 4th Civil Affairs Group to be a Detachment Commander. He completed multiple deployments in the USSOUTHCOM area of operation in support of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In 2018 he was assigned as the special purpose liaison to II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 2019, LtCol Gough transferred to Marine Air Group – 49 to serve as the Current Operations Officer at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.
In December 2020, LtCol Gough accepted active-duty orders to Marine Forces Europe and Africa in Stuttgart, Germany, to serve as the Georgia Deployment Program – Resolute Support Mission Program Manager. In 2021 he transitioned to serve as the MARFOREUR/AF Future Operations Air Officer and Liaison to U.S. Africa Command. LtCol Gough returned to active-duty status in March 2024 and reported to MCAS Cherry Point in July to serve his current billet as the air station Executive Officer and to fly the Marine Corps Operational Support Aircraft, the UC-35.
LtCol Gough’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, five Strike/Flight Air Medals for combat ops in Iraq, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars.
LtCol Gough holds a Bachelor of Science in aviation administration and management from Western Michigan University and a Master of Art in administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma.
LtCol Gough is married and has three children.