US Air Force General. He rose in rank to become the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving from February 1987 until 1990. Upon graduating from East High School in Denver, Colorado where he became an Eagle Scout, he was selected to attend the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1954. He then opted to take a 2nd lieutenant's commission in the US Air Force because he felt he would have a better opportunity at flying duty. After completing pilot training, his early assignments were in fighter-interceptor units, first as a pilot and then as an air electronics maintenance officer. In 1960 he graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and was transferred to Europe, where he served as a technical intelligence analyst and, later, as a flying training supervisor. He returned to the US and attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and following his graduation in 1965, he remained there to become an instructor in weapons employment planning until entering training at the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In August 1967 he was assigned to the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program at the Space Systems Division of Air Force Systems Command (now Air Force Material Command) in Los Angeles, California as an astronaut and chief of the Flight Crew Division. After program cancellation in 1969, he returned to the Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, where he served as deputy chief of staff for plans and requirements. In August 1970 he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington DC, graduating in 1971. In June of that year he became vice commander of the 449th Bombardment Wing at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan (now closed) and commander the following year. In April 1973 he was assigned to Southeast Asia for duty as commander of the 310th Strategic Wing, U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield, Thailand. He returned to Kincheloe in September 1973 to resume command of the 449th Bombardment Wing. From March 1974 until June 1979 he served in various aspects of the command and control systems field at Headquarters Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, Electronic Systems Division of Air Force Systems Command (now Air Force Material Command) at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and at Headquarters US Air Force in Washington DC. In June 1979 he became commander of Air Force Communications Command (now the Air Force Network Integration Center) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois ant two years later he assumed command of 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana in July 1981 and became the director for command, control and communications systems for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Washington DC in October 1982. In July 1984 he was assigned to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado as Commander-in-Chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Aerospace Defense Command. In August 1985 he was promoted to the rank of general and became the first Commander-in-Chief of US Space Command upon activation of the unified command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado in September 1985. In February 1987 he was selected as the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under General (and future Secretary of State) Colin Powell and retired in this position in February 1990 with almost 36 years of military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with 1 oak leaf cluster), the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, the National Defense Service Medal (with bronze service star), the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 2 oak leaf clusters). He also wore the Command Pilot Badge, the Space and Missile Badge, the Air Traffic Controller Badge, and the Senior Missileman Badge. After his military retirement, he served as chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) from 1993 until 2000 and remained as CEO until May 2002. He served as a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout and the Silver Buffalo awards. In 2006 he was diagnosed with brain cancer and died from that disease two years later at the age of 75.