Merrill McPeak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony McPeak
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| United States Secretary of the Air Force | |
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Acting
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| In office July 14, 1993 – August 5, 1993 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Michael B. Donley (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Sheila E. Widnall |
| Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force | |
| In office October 30, 1990 – October 25, 1994 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | John M. Loh (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Ronald R. Fogleman |
| 10th Chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission | |
| In office July 2010 – 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Frederick M. Franks Jr. |
| Succeeded by | David Urban |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Merrill Anthony McPeak
January 9, 1936 Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (Before 2003) Independent (2003–2008) Democratic (2008–present) |
| Education | San Diego State University (BA) George Washington University (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1957–1994 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force 12th Air Force Pacific Air Forces 20th Tactical Fighter Wing |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (2) |
Merrill Anthony McPeak (born January 9, 1936) is a retired general who served in the United States Air Force. He reached the rank of a 4-star general. His most important role before he retired was as the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, a position he held from 1990 to 1994.
In 1993, General McPeak also briefly served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Air Force. This happened before Sheila E. Widnall was officially appointed by President Bill Clinton. He is the only Chief of Staff of the Air Force who was still on active duty to have also served as Acting Secretary.
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Early Life and Education
Merrill McPeak was born in Santa Rosa, California. After finishing high school in Grants Pass, Oregon, he went to San Diego State College. In 1957, he earned a degree in economics. He then joined the Air Force as an officer in November of that year. Later, in 1974, he earned a master's degree in international relations from George Washington University.
Military Career Highlights
After his training, McPeak became a pilot, flying single-seat fighter jets like the F-100 Super Sabre and the F-104 Starfighter. He flew these planes in the United States and the United Kingdom. He also worked as an instructor pilot at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
From 1966 to 1968, McPeak was a pilot with the Thunderbirds. This is the Air Force's special team that performs amazing flying shows. He took part in almost 200 air shows during this time.
Serving in the Vietnam War
After his time with the Thunderbirds, McPeak became an F-100 pilot in South Vietnam. He flew many combat missions, including special missions to stop supplies from moving along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He completed 269 combat missions in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery. He left Vietnam in 1970.
Leadership Roles
From 1970 to 1973, McPeak worked at the Air Force Headquarters in Washington, D.C.. After more training, he became an assistant commander for operations at MacDill AFB, Florida, flying the F-4 Phantom II.
He also held several important leadership positions overseas. He commanded a support group in the United Kingdom and later a fighter training wing in Spain. From 1978 to 1980, he was a staff officer for Allied Air Forces in West Germany. He then commanded the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing in the United Kingdom, flying the F-111E fighter bomber.
Back in the U.S., he served as chief of staff at USAFE headquarters from 1981 to 1982. He also worked on plans for the Tactical Air Command (TAC) from 1982 to 1985. In 1985, he returned to Headquarters USAF to work on programs and resources.
In 1987, McPeak became the Commander of the 12th Air Force in Texas. A year later, he was named commander-in-chief of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
Air Force Chief of Staff
President George H. W. Bush chose McPeak to be the Air Force Chief of Staff in October 1990. He took over during Operation Desert Shield, which was the build-up to the Gulf War. He helped with the overall plans for Operation Desert Storm.
After the Gulf War, McPeak's time as Chief of Staff saw big changes. The Air Force became much smaller because the Cold War had ended. Many commands were combined or changed. For example, Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Tactical Air Command (TAC) were merged into new commands like Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC).
McPeak also made big changes to how the Air Force was organized. He wanted to make sure the Air Force was ready for combat. He also changed the Air Force's service dress uniform. The new uniform looked very different from the old one, which was similar to the Army's uniform. The new design used naval-style sleeve stripes for officer ranks instead of pins on the shoulders. This new uniform was not very popular with many Air Force members. Some of these uniform changes were later reversed by the next Chief of Staff.
General McPeak also served as Acting Secretary of the Air Force for three weeks in 1993. He is the only person to have held both the Chief of Staff and Acting Secretary roles at the same time. He retired from the Air Force in October 1994.
McPeak's time as Chief of Staff has been discussed a lot. Some people felt he focused too much on pilots, especially single-seat fighter pilots, and not enough on other Air Force members or roles. He also introduced a management style called "Quality Air Force" (QAF), which some people felt tried to run the Air Force too much like a business.
Later Work and Public Service
After leaving the Air Force, McPeak worked as a consultant and business executive. He served on the boards of several companies, including TWA and Tektronix. He also helped start a successful software company called Ethicspoint.
In 2010, McPeak was appointed to the American Battle Monuments Commission. This group manages U.S. military cemeteries and memorials around the world. He was the tenth person, and the first Air Force member, to lead this commission. In 2018, France honored him with the Legion of Honor for his service. He also helped restore the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial near Paris.
General McPeak has received several awards for his achievements. In 1992, San Diego State University gave him its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. George Washington University also honored him in 1995.
In 2012, McPeak started publishing a series of memoirs about his Air Force career. The first book was called Hangar Flying, followed by Below the Zone and Roles and Missions.
Political Views and Activities
McPeak has been involved in politics. In 1996, he led Bob Dole's presidential campaign in Oregon. In 2000, he supported George W. Bush for president. However, he later disagreed with the Bush administration's foreign policy, especially the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
He then supported Howard Dean and later advised the John Kerry campaign. He also joined a group of diplomats and commanders who felt the Bush administration was not doing enough for national security.
In 2008, McPeak was a co-chair for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He made some comments during the campaign that caused discussion, comparing certain political tactics to McCarthyism.
Dates of Rank
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
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Gen | Aug. 1, 1988 |
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Lt Gen | May 22, 1985 |
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Maj Gen | Oct. 1, 1983 |
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Brig Gen | July 1, 1981 |
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Col | April 1, 1974 |
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Lt Col | Nov. 1, 1972 |
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Maj | May 20, 1968 |
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Capt | Oct. 1, 1962 |
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1st Lt | May 30, 1959 |
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2nd Lt | June 19, 1957 |
Awards and Decorations
McPeak has received many military awards, including:
 Command Pilot Badge |
 Basic Parachutist Badge |
.svg) Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |
 Defense Distinguished Service Medal |
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 Silver Star |
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 Meritorious Service Medal |
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 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
 Air Force Organizational Excellence Award |
 Combat Readiness Medal |
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 Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon Short Tour |
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 Air Force Expert Marksmanship Ribbon |
 Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross |
 Vietnam Campaign Medal |
He also wears the Command Pilot Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge.
