Colonel Alexander E. Goodno is a 2002 distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Quantitative Economics and a commission in the United States Marine Corps. Following commissioning, Colonel Goodno attended The Basic School in Quantico, VA, multiple naval flight schools in Florida and Mississippi, and then reported to MCAS Miramar, CA where he obtained his initial qualification on the F/A-18.
Colonel Goodno’s operational assignments include multiple landed-based Unit Deployment Programs to the Western Pacific with Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 312, 115, and 251, serving in multiple squadrons billets to include Executive Officer, Operations Officer, and Aircraft Maintenance Officer, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the Air Watch Officer and Senior Watch Officer in the 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s Combat Operations Center. Additionally, he has served as the Marine Aviation Training Systems Site (MATSS) Beaufort Standardization Officer, Marine Aircraft Group 31 Weapons and Tactics Instructor, the Marine Aircraft Group 14 Director of Safety and Standardization, and the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing Assistance Chief of Staff for Safety and Standardization. He has also commanded at the squadron level, serving at the helm of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 from its re-designation as an F-35B squadron through its build to full operational capability.
In addition to these operational assignments, Colonel Goodno served with 75 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force in Tindal, Northern Territory, Australia as part of the Marine Corps’ Personnel Exchange Program and deployed to the Middle East in support of Australian Operation OKRA (US Operation INHERENT RESOLVE).
Colonel Goodno’s non-operational assignments include serving as the F/A-18 Requirements Officer for the Deputy Commandant for Aviation.
Colonel Goodno earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, graduating with the highest distinction, is a distinguished graduate of the Marine Corps’ Distant Command and Staff College, and is a graduate of Marine Corps’ Distant Expeditionary Warfare School.
Colonel Goodno has over 2,500 flight hours with 2,300 of these hours in the F/A-18 and F-35B and has flown over 190 flight hours in combat. He is a graduate of both the Navy’s Strike Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and Marine Corps’ Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course and is qualified on the MQ-9.
His personal achievements include the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars in lieu of third award, Air Medal (with numeral 3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars in lieu of third award, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is also the Naval War College’s 2024 recipient of the Stephen B. Luce Award, which is given to the school’s top overall graduate.