Robert Michael Gates was born on 25 September 1943, in Wichita, Kansas USA, and is a scholar and politician, best known for serving as the 22nd US Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to that position, he served with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Council. All of his efforts have helped put his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Robert Gates? As of late-2017, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $5 million, thanks to success in his numerous endeavors. He’s also served as the President of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Chancellor of the College of William & Mary. All of his achievements have ensured the position of his wealth.
Robert Gates Net Worth $5 million
Growing up, Robert was very active in the BSA, reaching the rank of Eagle Scout. He was educated at Wichita High School East, matriculating in 1961, then attending the College of William & Mary on a scholarship, studying history. During his graduation, he was rewarded with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. He continued his studies by attending Indiana University to complete his MA in history in 1966.
While studying for his MA, Gates was recruited by the CIA. A year after graduating, he became a second lieutenant in the US Air Force, studying at Officer Training School with a sponsorship from the CIA. He then served for two years as an intelligence officer, and also pursued a PhD in Russian and Soviet history at Georgetown University, completing his doctorate in 1974. In the same year, he left the CIA to serve as part of the National Security Council, but returned to the agency in 1979 to be the director of the Strategic Evaluation Center. He continued to climb up the ranks before getting nominated to become the Director of Central Intelligence.
Robert withdrew from his first nomination due to a controversy, but was soon nominated again in 1991, and would serve as director for two years. He then worked as a lecturer at the University of Washington, subsequently teaching at numerous high profile schools, also writing for The New York Times on government and foreign policy. In 1999, he became the Interim Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, which lead him to become the university president, and he would improve the school significantly. He left his position in 2006 when he was invited to become Secretary of Defense.
As Secretary of Defense, Gates was responsible for numerous moves involving Iraq, including in 2008 ordering troop withdrawals. He was also responsible for making key changes in several positions due to controversies that came up during his tenure. He remained in his position during the Obama administration, and would implement a surge of troops in Afghanistan the following year. He was responsible for the repeal of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy which allowed homosexuals to serve in the military. He retired from his position in 2011, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
After his tenure as Secretary of Defense, Robert then became a Principal of the strategic consulting firm called RiceHadleyGates LLC. He was then given the position of chancellor at the College of William & Mary. In 2012, he became a part of the board of directors of Starbucks, and after a year, he would then become part of the National executive board of the Boy Scouts of America, subsequently serving as the 35th President of the BSA from 2014 to 2016.
For his personal life, it is known that Gates married Becky in 1967, and they have two children.
