| Merrill A. McPeak | |
|---|---|
General Merrill Anthony McPeak |
|
| Nickname | Tony |
| Born | January 9, 1936 |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1957-1994 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Air Force Chief of Staff 12th Air Force Pacific Air Forces 20th Tactical Fighter Wing |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal (13 olc) |
| Other work | Chairman, Tektronix Chairman, EthicsPoint |
Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak (born January 9, 1936) was the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He retired from the service on November 1, 1994.
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McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California. After graduating from Grants Pass High School in Grants Pass, Oregon, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from San Diego State College in 1957 and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was commissioned through AFROTC, and entered active duty in November of that year. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in international relations from the George Washington University in 1974. He also learned Latin, French and various other languages at Harvard University.
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. On February 1, 1969, he was assigned to Project Commando Sabre (Detachment 1, 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron), known as the Misty FACs, a specialized group of high speed forward air controllers trying to stop traffic down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He became the tenth commander of Commando Sabre on April 22, 1969, and moved it to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tuy Hoa Air Base on May 1, when the 37th TFW transitioned to F-4 Phantom IIs. Rotating out of his command on May 31, 1969 after 98 missions, 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 1976, McPeak contributed an article to Foreign Affairs Journal expressing his views on the Israelis' occupation of territories during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.[1]
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 by President George H.W. Bush in October 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, Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Communications Command, with assets transferred primarily to Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Communications Agency. McPeak pushed through major organizational change, aimed at streamlining and emphasizing operations and combat readiness. Much of his tenure focused on elevating the status of the fighter pilot, frequently at the expense of other flying and non-flying career fields. He also created the Air Force Expeditionary Wing concept, a fusion of combat forces and support into a single organization. He also transferred several command billets to Brigadier Generals even though previously these had been commanded by Colonels.
However, he is best remembered by many Air Force personnel for the sweeping changes made to the service dress uniform. Worn by more personnel during most duties, the new version was a radical departure from the earlier version, which was essentially the same as the US Army service uniform (the US Air Force was originally the US Army Air Corps). Because of its resemblance to both Naval officer's uniforms and those of airline pilots, the McPeak uniform was unpopular with service members, especially the senior enlisted corps, who still to this day object to the uniform change, and was obsoleted rapidly after McPeak retired.[2]
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.
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, U.S.I.A. of St. Helens, Oregon as advisory board chairman, and other organizations. McPeak and his wife Elynor currently reside in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She served as a member of the Lake Oswego City Council.[3]
In 1996, McPeak served as Oregon state chairman for the Bob Dole for President campaign. During the presidential election of 2000 McPeak endorsed George W. Bush and served as co-chairman of Oregon Veterans for Bush.[4]
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.[5] 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.
McPeak worked as a co-chair on Barack Obama's presidential campaign during the 2008 United States presidential election.[6]
McPeak was appointed in July 2010 to the American Battle Monuments Commission[7].
McPeak was harshly criticized by American Spectator journalist Robert Goldberg for comments and writings he has made regarding Israel.[8]
Goldberg begins the piece saying that "McPeak has a long history of criticizing Israel for not going back to the 1967 borders as part of any peace agreement with Arab states. In 1976 McPeak wrote an article for Foreign Affairs magazine questioning Israel's insistence on holding on to the Golan Heights and parts of the West Bank."[8]
Goldberg writes that "[in] recent years McPeak has echoed the Mearsheimer-Walt view that American Middle East policy is being controlled by Jews at the expense of America's interests in the region."[8] Goldberg then quotes McPeak responding to a question as to what is the cause for the lack of progressing in getting Israelis and Palestinians together: "New York City. Miami. We have a large vote -- vote, here in favor of Israel. And no politician wants to run against it."[8]
Goldberg also wrote that McPeak "claims that a combination of Jews and Christian Zionists are manipulating U.S. policy in Iraq in dangerous and radical ways."[8] To support this claim, Goldberg quotes McPeak from a published interview: "Let's say that one of your abiding concerns is the security of Israel as opposed to a purely American self-interest, then it would make sense to build a dozen or so bases in Iraq. Let's say you are a born-again Christian and you think that Armageddon and the rapture are about to happen any minute and what you want to do is retrace steps you think are laid out in Revelations, then it makes sense. So there are a number of scenarios here that could lead you in this direction. This is radical...."[8]
McPeak also generated controversy following comments he made at a Barack Obama campaign appearance in Medford, Oregon where he implied that former President Bill Clinton had appeared to question Obama's patriotism:
As one who for 37 years proudly wore the uniform of our country, I'm saddened to see a president employ these tactics, he of all people should know better because he was the target of exactly the same kind of tactics.[10]
McPeak also compared the former President's comments to actions by Senator Joe McCarthy: "I grew up, I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors, so I've had enough of it."[11]
According to journalist Allan Nairn, General McPeak oversaw the delivery of advanced U.S. fighter planes to Suharto's government not long after the November, 1991 shooting of pro-independence demonstrators known as the Dili massacre.[12]
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Gen | Aug. 1, 1988 | |
| Lt Gen | May 22, 1985 | |
| Maj Gen | Oct. 1, 1983 | |
| Brig Gen | July 1, 1981 | |
| Col | April 1, 1974 | |
| Lt Col | Nov. 1, 1972 | |
| Maj | May 20, 1968 | |
| Capt | Oct. 1, 1962 | |
| 1st Lt | May 30, 1959 | |
| 2nd Lt | June 19, 1957 |
McPeak's military decorations include the:
Qualification badges include the Command Aviator Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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