Academy Names Dr. Hans Mueh Director of Athletics
7/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 29, 2004
Dr. Hans J. Mueh has been named the director of athletics at the Air Force Academy, according to an announcement today by Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa. Mueh replaces Randy Spetman, who retired from active duty in January. The ninth athletics director in Academy history, Mueh is the first to hold the position as a civilian. He will begin his duties on Monday, Aug. 2.
A retired Air Force brigadier general, Mueh was vice dean of faculty for two years prior to his retirement in the summer of 2004. In addition, he was the Academy's faculty athletics representative from 1996-2004.
Before assuming his duties as vice dean, Mueh was permanent professor and head of the department of chemistry at the Academy, a position he held since October 1987 where he oversaw the annual design and instruction of 25 undergraduate courses for 1,500 cadets annually.
Mueh was born Jan. 8, 1944, in Celle, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1951. He entered the Air Force in 1962 as a member of the Academy's eighth graduating class, and he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1966. While at the Academy, Mueh was a two-year letterwinner in soccer as a goalie. He still holds the Academy record for saves in a game with 30, accomplishing it twice in 1965 against North Carolina and Benedictine. In his junior and senior years, Mueh helped the Falcons to the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Soccer League championship and quarterfinal berths in the NCAA tournament.
Following graduation, Mueh completed two assignments in intelligence before attending the University of Wisconsin where he earned his master's degree in chemistry in 1970. He later earned a doctorate degree in chemistry from Wisconsin in 1976 as a distinguished graduate. He has also completed Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and Air War College.
Between earning the two degrees, Mueh returned to the Academy as an instructor in the department of chemistry from 1970-72. He also served as assistant soccer coach and played semi-pro soccer with the Aurora Internationals in Denver during those two years, leading the Internationals to the Colorado state title in 1971. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam and served as an intelligence officer in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam and at Nakhon Phanom RTAB, Thailand, in 1972 and 1973.
After earning his doctorate degree, Mueh returned to the Academy in 1977 as an associate professor of chemistry. He remained at the Academy except for a stint in 1985-86 as the special assistant for technical matters at the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.
In 1986, he assumed the position of acting head, department of chemistry, before being selected for his position of permanent professor and head of the department of chemistry in 1987. As faculty athletics representative, he has been active in both the Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference, and was the Academy's representative on the transition team to form the new MWC, the only faculty athletics representative on the team. He is currently the chairman of Region VII for the NCAA's Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, covering 119 schools, and has served in that capacity for four years. He competes in golf, racquetball, volleyball, handball, and tennis, and has promoted Air Force Academy intercollegiate sports throughout his tenure, beginning with work as chairman of the hockey eligibility committee, officer representative to the men's golf team, and five years as the officer representative to the football team.
Mueh is married to the former Sally Flax of Cincinnati, Ohio. They have three children: Kristine, Kurt, and Deborah.
