Robert “Don” Gifford, a 1989 MHS graduate, was recently promoted to Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), and has been also selected to be the Commander of the 3rd Legal Operations Detachment in Boston, MA.
As the Commander of nearly 80 other military lawyers and paralegals, Col. Gifford will oversee operations to provide legal support to deploying soldiers, their families, and veterans. In addition, Col. Gifford will be responsible for deploying Judge Advocates worldwide to assist in the development of the Rule of Law in foreign countries. In his civilian capacity, Mr. Gifford is an Assistant United States Attorney in Oklahoma City serving as the Human Trafficking Coordinator, is an adjunct law professor at the law schools at OU and Oklahoma City University, and serves as a part-time tribal court judge for the Kaw Nation.
After graduating from MHS in 1989 and a part of Coach John Kulla’s linebacker corps where he was named the conference defensive player of the year, Mr. Gifford received a football/track/academic scholarship to Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan. graduating with honors in 1993.
After graduating from OU Law school, Mr. Gifford received his commission as an officer in the United States Army where he served on active duty as a JAG at Fort Knox, Ken., Fort Sill, Okla., and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Upon leaving active duty, Mr. Gifford remained in the Army Reserves and served as an Assistant District Attorney in Tulsa County, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Reno, Nev., and currently as a federal prosecutor in Oklahoma City where he was named the 2013 prosecutor of the year in the state of Oklahoma.
Gifford was mobilized back onto active duty in 2007-08 to work on the war court trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he was the legal spokesman to the world-wide media and deputy director of legal operations. Col. Gifford will graduate this summer from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Penn. with a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies, and is the son of DeWayne (MHS ’69) and Jacalyn (MHS ’70) Gifford of Mannford and the grandson of Beth Ann Greenwood (MHS ’49) also of Mannford. When not traveling to Boston for military duty, Col. Gifford resides in Norman with his wife Gloria and his three daughters Gabriela, Olivia, and Juliana.

Former MHS graduate Colonel Don Gifford receives his promotion.

Former MHS graduate Colonel Don Gifford receives his promotion.