College of the Canyons, the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp. and U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (Ret.) will present the Second Annual McKeon Leadership Forum, with a special keynote presentation from Gen. T. Michael Moseley (Ret.), United States Air Force, 18th Chief of Staff.

The forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2016 at the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, located on the college’s Valencia campus.

“We are honored to host the McKeon Leadership Forum once again,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “College of the Canyons is committed to promoting civic dialog and inspiring community members to get involved with existing issues and the Forum provides the perfect platform to make that possible.”

Before retiring in 2008 from a distinguished military career that spanned four decades, Moseley served as the 18th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he served as one of the principle military advisers to the President, Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council.

Moseley’s presentation is titled “A National Security Dialog: What We’re Facing Over the Next Decade.”

“The evening should be of interest to everyone,” said McKeon. “I hope the Forum advances the mission of College of the Canyons, which is to further the education of the people of Santa Clarita.”

Established in 2015, the McKeon Leadership Forum is a speaker series aimed at promoting civic engagement through personal involvement. Thought leaders from the world of politics, government, and military are invited to speak at the Forum in order to engage community members into dialog and inspire them to become involved in current issues. The Forum also highlights the community’s robust economic industries, such as the aerospace sector.

“The McKeon Leadership Forum provides an opportunity for owners and leaders for aerospace and defense companies in the SCV to interact with top officials in the defense industry,” said Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation. “The Santa Clarita Valley’s aerospace and defense cluster continues to grow, and events such as the Forum demonstrate the importance and strength of this industry in the SCV.”

Admission to the McKeon Leadership Forum is free and open to the public. Complimentary parking will be available in Lot 14.

To RSVP please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mckeon-leadership-forum-tickets-28899810110.

About General T. Michael Moseley
General T. Michael Moseley retired from military service in 2008 as the 18th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. In that capacity, he trained, organized, and equipped more than 700,000 active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force reserve and civilian forces.

Moseley earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree in political science with a focus on Northeast Asia from Texas A&M University. He is also a graduate of the Pilot Instructor Course at Randolph Air Force Base and the Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base. He racked up nearly 3,000 hours of total flying time as a career fighter pilot.

As Commander of the 9th U.S. Air Force at Shaw AFB, SC and U.S. Central Command Air Forces (headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the State of Qatar), Moseley was responsible for the planning and execution of all joint and coalition air and space operations for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In recognition of his military contributions, Moseley has been knighted by Her Majesty, the Queen of England as a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and was named Commander in the National Order of the Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic. Other countries that have bestowed upon him the highest honors include Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

Upon retiring, Moseley was also awarded Distinguished Service Medals from the Department of Homeland Security (Coast Guard), Department of the Army, and the Department of the Navy.

He is currently Chairman of the Gulf Alliance Company and is President/CEO of Moseley and Associates, an international consulting practice.

A Texas native, Moseley married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Virginia. Together, they have two children and four granddaughters.