Merrill A. McPeak

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Official portrait

General Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak (born January 9, 1936) is a former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He retired from the service on November 1, 1994.

McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California. After graduating from Union High School in Grants Pass, Oregon, he entered San Diego State College earning a B.A. in economics in 1957. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at the college, and entered active duty in November of that year. After completing preflight and pilot training, he flew fighter F-100 Super Sabre and F-104 Starfighter aircraft in operational squadrons in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Later he returned to the U.S. as an instructor pilot and weapons officer at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

From December 1966 to December 1968 McPeak was assigned as a solo and lead solo pilot with the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's acrobatic flying team. While with the Thunderbirds he performed in nearly 200 air shows in the U.S. and overseas.

Upon completion of his tour with the Thunderbirds he was assigned as an F-100 pilot with the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat Air Base in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early months of 1969, he was reassigned to the "Misty" squadron, a special group of high speed forward air controllers trying to stop traffic down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He ended up commanding this unit and moved with it when it was transferred to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tuy Hoa Air Base. Rotating out of his command, he served as chief of standardization and evaluation for 31st Wing. McPeak completed a total of 269 combat missions while in Vietnam, remaining in-country until 1970, after which he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.

From 1970-73 McPeak was an air operations staff officer for the Mideast Division at Headquarters USAF in Washington. After graduating from the National War College in 1974, he was named assistant deputy commander for operations for the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill AFB, Florida. He later (1975-76) was a military fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

In July 1976 he became commander of the 513th Combat Support Group based at RAF Station Mildenhall; a year later he moved to Zaragoza Air Base in Spain as vice commander of the 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. From 1978-80 he was assistant chief of staff for current operations, Allied Air Forces Central Europe (in Boerfink, West Germany). 1980-81 saw him commanding the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at RAF Station Upper Heyford. McPeak was chief of staff at USAFE headquarters from 1981-82, and deputy chief of staff for plans at TAC headquarters, Langley AFB, Virginia from 1982-85. He returned to Headquarters USAF in 1985-87 as deputy chief of staff for programs and resources.

In June 1987 McPeak moved to Bergstrom AFB, Texas in the dual roles of 12th Air Force commander and commander of Air Forces for United States Southern Command. A year later he was named commander-in-chief of Pacific Air Forces PACAF. He was appointed Air Force Chief of Staff in by President George H.W. Bush in October of 1990, replacing the retiring General Michael Dugan.

McPeak took over as Chief of Staff during the run-up for Operation Desert Shield, and assisted in overall strategic planning for Operation Desert Storm. His tenure also saw major reduction in force as a result of the end of the Cold War; during his time as Chief of Staff, he oversaw the disbandment of Strategic Air Command and Air Force Systems Command, which were replaced by Air Combat Command and Air Force Materiel Command. McPeak pushed through major organizational change, aimed at streamlining and emphasizing operations and combat readiness.

McPeak also acted as Secretary of the Air Force for three weeks in 1993, during an interim before the formal appointment and confirmation of Sheila E. Widnall, as of that date becoming the only person to have ever concurrently served in both capacities. McPeak continued as Chief of Staff through October 1994, retiring afterwards. During his tenure as Chief of Staff, he redesigned the Air Force Service Dress Uniform to give it more a more distinctively "airman" look.

His legacy as Chief of Staff has been the subject of much debate. Many accuse him of trying to run the Air Force as a corporation, with his introduction of Total Quality Management and the uniform changes which strayed from the traditional military style. Some of his uniform changes were soon undone after his retirement. He was often accused of ignoring the needs of enlisted men, and looking out solely for his officers. There was a large debate over the somewhat traditional act of inducting the outgoing chief of staff into the Order of the Sword.

Following his Air Force career, McPeak entered the private sector as a consultant and business executive. He has been on the boards of directors for TWA, ECC International, where he served for several years as Chairman, Tektronix and other organizations. McPeak and his wife Elynor ("Ellie") currently reside in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he continues to invest in and advise companies, especially in the "high tech" sector. She serves as a member of the Lake Oswego City Council.

During the presidential election of 2000 General McPeak, along with several other high-ranking military retirees, broke with a long-standing tradition of public political neutrality to endorse George W. Bush. As the military and foreign policy of the Bush administration coalesced, however, McPeak expressed strong objections, especially with regard to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. McPeak later openly campaigned for Howard Dean's nomination, and when Dean withdrew, acted as an adviser for the John Kerry campaign. He was also one of twenty-seven signatories to the statement of the "Committee of Diplomats & Commanders for Change" calling the Bush Administration a failure at "preserving national security" and calling for Bush not to be re-elected.

He holds a master's degree in international relations from George Washington University.

[edit] Succession

Preceded by Gen. John M. Loh (acting)	Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force 1990–1994	Succeeded by Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman
Preceded by Michael B. Donley (acting)	United States Secretary of the Air Force (acting) July 14, 1993–August 5, 1993	Succeeded by Sheila E. Widnall