Charles D . Metcalf Charles David Metcalf served in the United States Air Force for 36 years , retiring as a Major General . He went on to serve as the Director of the National Museum of the United States Air Force from 1996 to 2010 . He is a well known civic leader in the Dayton , Ohio area . Early life . Metcalf was born in Anamosa , Iowa in 1933 . He graduated from Anamosa High School in 1951 . He then attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids , Iowa . He graduated in 1955 , receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree economics and accounting . He was also a distinguished graduate of Coe College ’ s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program . Military career . He entered the Air Force in October 1955 and was assigned to the Air Force Hospital at Wimpole Park , England , as accounting and finance officer . In 1958 , he became the base accounting and finance officer at Donaldson Air Force Base , South Carolina . He was transferred to George Air Force Base , California in May 1959 , again as a base level accounting and finance officer . He completed Squadron Officer School in 1962 . In September 1962 , Metcalf became the first Air Force accounting and finance officer assigned in the Republic of Vietnam . He activated that country ’ s first military finance office at Tan Son Nhut Air Base . After his Vietnam tour , Metcalf was selected to attend graduate school at Michigan State University at East Lansing , receiving a Master ' s Degree in business administration in 1964 . Metcalf was assigned to Headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base , Colorado in September 1964 , where he served as chief of the Budget Operations Division . In August 1967 , he was assigned to the Office of Aerospace Programs in The Pentagon in Washington , D . C . . While at the Pentagon , he also served as executive officer to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management . He then returned to Aerospace Defense Command headquarters and served for two years as deputy director of budget . In 1973 , Metcalf was selected to attend Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . He graduated in June 1974 , and was assigned to Scott Air Force Base , Illinois as director of budget for the Military Airlift Command . He returned to Pentagon in August 1975 and served as deputy chief of the Air Force Budget Directorate ’ s Operations Appropriation Division . In July 1976 , he returned to Scott Air Force Base as Military Airlift Command ’ s comptroller . In June 1982 , he was assigned to the Office of the Comptroller of the Air Force in Washington , DC as deputy director of budget where he was promoted to brigadier general . In July 1983 , he became comptroller for Air Force Logistics Command at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . During his tenure as the Air Force Logistic Command comptroller , he attended Harvard University ’ s Executive Development Program in Cambridge , Massachusetts . In August 1986 , he was promoted to major general . In 1988 , General Metcalf took command of the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center ( now part of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service ) . At that time the center was located at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver , Colorado . As commander of the finance center , he was responsible for the Air Force ’ s worldwide accounting and finance network , paying all Air Force active duty , Air National Guard , Air Force Reserve , and retired members , and accounting for all funds appropriated to the Air Force by the United States Congress . During this period , Metcalf also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Accounting and Deputy Director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency . He filled these three roles concurrently until he retired from the Air Force on 1 February 1991 . General Metcalf ’ s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster , the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit , Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters , and Air Force Commendation Medal . Air Force Museum . In 1996 , Metcalf became Director of the National Museum of the United States Air Force , commonly called “ the Air Force Museum . ” The museum is located on Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , and is the world ’ s largest and oldest military aviation museum . Every year , Metcalf and his staff host approximately 800 events that bring government dignitaries , military leaders , war heroes , corporate executive , military reunion groups , and aviation enthusiasts to the museum . These events include the biennial Dawn Patrol Rendezvous World War I fly - in , the annual Radio - Controlled Model Aircraft Air Show , outdoor and indoor concerts featuring the Air Force Band of Flight , and the Wings and Things guest lecture series . His education program reaches over 100 , 000 students every year . Metcalf also makes the museum available for many formal military ceremonies . Metcalf has greatly expanded the museum and its collection during his tenure . The Cold War Gallery was completed in 2003 . Its centerpiece is a B - 2 bomber . The latest addition to the museum is a $ 3 . 2 million Missile and Space Gallery which was opened in 2004 . Currently the museum is planning to build a addition to house a Space Gallery . In 2005 , Metcalf was promoted to the Senior Executive Service , the highest federal civilian rank below Presidential appointees . As director of the Air Force Museum , Metcalf plays a leading role in overseeing the United States Air Force Heritage Program , which includes 12 field museums and 260 domestic and international heritage sites . This program manages approximately 31 , 000 military aviation items that are displayed at Air Force bases around the world . General Metcalf retired from civilian service on 16 December 2010 and was replaced by Lt . Gen . ( ret ) John L Hudson . Community leader . As a youth Metcalf earned the Boy Scouts of America ' s ( BSA ) Eagle Scout rank on August 19 , 1949 . He continued his involvement the BSA as a member of the BSA ’ s Leadership and Standards Committee and was recognized on October 27 , 2009 with BSA ' s Distinguished Eagle Scout Award . In addition the his work at the Air Force museum , General Metcalf is the Central Region Vice President of the Boy Scouts of America . He is a former member of the Oakwood , Ohio City Council , and served on the Corporate Development Board of Trustees for Dayton , Ohio . He has served as chairman of the Board of Directors for the Greater Dayton United Way campaign , and as a member of the Board of Directors for Greater Dayton Public Television . He has also served as a member of Michigan State University ’ s National Alumni Board .