Robert T . Marsh Robert T . Marsh ( born January 3 , 1925 ) is a retired United States Air Force four - star general who served as Commander , Air Force Systems Command ( COMAFSC ) from 1981 to 1984 . Military career . Born in 1925 , in Logansport , Indiana , Marsh graduated from Logansport High School in 1942 and was attending Wabash College in Crawfordsville , Indiana , when he was inducted into the U . S . Army Air Forces in 1943 . In July 1945 Marsh received a Regular Army appointment to the United States Military Academy . He graduated in 1949 with a bachelor of science degree in military arts and sciences , and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U . S . Air Force . He earned master of science degrees from the University of Michigan in instrumentation engineering and aeronautical engineering in 1956 . He has also completed Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College , both schools located at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . As an enlisted man in the Army Air Forces for almost two years , he completed both aircraft mechanic and aerial gunnery training on B - 17 s and B - 24 s prior to his appointment to the academy . Following his graduation he attended the Air Tactical School at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida , and in December 1949 entered preliminary technical training at the Atomic Weapons and Radiological Safety School at Keesler Air Force Base , Mississippi . In July 1950 he joined the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project as an atomic weapons assembly officer at Sandia Base , New Mexico . Later , he was assigned to the cadre of the 5th Aviation Field Depot Squadron , an atomic weapon assembly and storage organization , and went with the squadron in 1951 to Sidi Slimane Air Base , Morocco . In December 1952 he transferred to Headquarters 7th Air Division , Strategic Air Command , South Ruislip , England , where he served as an armament and electronics staff officer . From September 1954 to June 1956 , Marsh attended the University of Michigan under the Air Force Institute of Technology program . In July 1956 he was assigned to Headquarters Air Research and Development Command with duty at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , where he served as project officer in the SM - 64A Navaho and TM - 61 - 76 Matador / Mace weapon systems project offices . Following Air Command and Staff College in July 1960 , Marsh was assigned to the Ballistic Missile Division , Air Force Systems Command , Los Angeles Air Force Station , California . He returned to Maxwell Air Force Base to attend the Air War College from August 1964 to June 1965 . He was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . , in July 1965 in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Research and Development , as a staff officer in the Directorate of Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare . He later became chief of the Projects Division in the Directorate of Space . He completed his tour of duty at the Pentagon as executive officer for the deputy chief of staff for research and development . In September 1969 Marsh returned to Wright - Patterson Air Force Base as deputy for reconnaissance , strike and electronics warfare . In June 1973 he received his first assignment to Air Force Systems Command headquarters as deputy chief of staff for development plans . He became deputy chief of staff for systems in October 1973 and was appointed vice commander in August 1975 . He was commander of the Electronic Systems Division , Hanscom Air Force Base , Massachusetts , from May 1977 to January 1981 . He assumed command of AFSC in February 1981 . Marsh retired on July 31 , 1984 His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Legion of Merit , Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster , Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters and Army Good Conduct Medal . He also wears the Master Missile Badge .