General Larry D. Welch

General Larry D. Welch. 12th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. , General (ret) Welch was born in 1934 in Guymon, Okla., and graduated from Liberal (Kan.) High School in 1952. He enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in October 1951, serving with the 161st Armored Field Artillery until enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. In November 1953, he entered the aviation cadet program and subsequently received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant. He served initially as a flight instructor until his assignment in July 1958 to Headquarters, Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas., General Welch then served in tactical fighter units in Europe, the continental United States and Alaska before transferring to the Republic of Vietnam where he flew combat missions in the F-4C over North and South Vietnam, and Laos., After completing the Armed Forces Staff College in July 1967, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., under the assistant chief of staff for studies and analysis. Upon graduation from the National War College in July 1972, he was assigned to Tactical Air Command, where he served in wing deputy commander for operations, vice commander and wing commander positions., In August 1977, he transferred to Headquarters Tactical Air Command where he served as inspector general, deputy chief of staff for plans and deputy chief of staff for operations. In June 1981, he became commander of the 9th Air Force and Air Force component commander for the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force. In November 1982, he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for programs and resources at Air Force headquarters and became vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force in July 1984. From August 1985 to June 1986, he served as commander in chief, Strategic Air Command, and director, Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., He became the 12th Chief of Staff of the Air Force in July 1986, the first Aviation Cadet to achieve this distinction. As chief, he served as the senior uniformed Air Force Officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of a combined active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian force serving at locations in the United States and overseas. During his tenure as Chief of Staff, we saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, the demise of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the creation of the Air Force Special Operations Command, the introduction of the first B-2 stealth bomber, and the operational deployment of the F-15E multi-role fighter., The general is a command pilot with more than 6,500 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Joint Meritorious Unit Award with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters., Since retiring from the U.S. Air Force, General Welch has served as the president of the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded research and development center focusing on defense issues. Because of the outstanding efforts in this role, he was awarded the 2003 Fubini Award, given annually to an individual from the private sector that has made highly significant contributions to the Department of Defense in an advisory capacity., From Army Private to Aviation Cadet to Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Larry D. Welch served his nation with pride and dedication, and blazed the trail of high standards for the rest of us to follow.