John T . Chain , Jr . John Thomas Chain , Jr . ( born December 11 , 1934 ) is a retired U . S . Air Force General . He is also a director of R . J . Reynolds Tobacco Company , ConAgra Foods , Inc . , and Kemper Insurance Co . , as well as holding other corporate offices . Early life . Chain was born in Wilmington , Delaware and attended high school at Fork Union Military Academy . He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1956 and was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 1990 , both from Denison University . While at Denison University , General Chain was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity . In 1971 he graduated from the National War College and concurrently earned a Master ' s Degree in international affairs from George Washington University . Air Force career . John Chain had a wide and varied military career , serving in a number of powerful positions . He accrued over 5 , 000 flying hours ( including 400 combat hours ) in more than 45 different military aircraft . He is a master parachutist with 66 jumps , and has been awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , the Legion of Merit , the Distinguished Flying Cross , and the Bronze Star . Chain was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program . He received his pilot wings in 1957 and then entered combat crew training . From 1958 to 1959 the general was an F - 100 Super Sabre pilot at Toul - Rosieres Air Base in France , and from 1959 to 1962 at Ramstein Air Base in West Germany . General Chain then served as a flight examiner at Cannon Air Force Base , New Mexico . In 1964 he was assigned as a forward air controller in Fort Campbell , Kentucky . While there he became a master parachutist and flew Army O - 1s and Air National Guard F - 84 Thunderjet s . In 1966 Chain flew combat missions while assigned to Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam . He then transferred to Washington , D . C . From 1969 to 1970 , Chain was an exchange officer with the U . S . Department of State . He entered the National War College in 1970 and upon graduation was assigned to Davis - Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona as deputy commander for operations . In 1972 he became deputy commander for logistics . In 1972 and 1973 , Chain flew combat missions in F - 4 Phantom s from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand . Upon his return to the United States in 1973 , he became deputy commander for operations at George Air Force Base , California . In 1974 he was assigned as vice commander at Nellis Air Force Base , Nevada , where he flew as an aggressor pilot . He then transferred to Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base in 1975 as director of fighter and reconnaissance operations . In 1976 and 1977 he was assistant to the commander there . Chain became the military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force in 1978 . He then served as deputy director of plans at Air Force headquarters until 1980 , when he became director of operations . Chain was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and operations in 1981 and became deputy chief of staff for plans and operations in 1982 . He served as director of the Bureau of Politico Military Affairs for the Department of State from 1984 until 1985 , when he became chief of staff for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium . On July 1 , 1985 , Chain was promoted to General . In 1986 he became commander in chief of Strategic Air Command , where he oversaw the LGM - 118A Peacekeeper ( MX - missile ) operations for the Reagan Administration . He retired from the military on January 31 , 1991 . Civilian career . After his retirement from the Air Force , Chain devoted himself full - time to corporate management . In March 1991 he became executive vice president for Burlington Northern Railroad , a position he held for five years . He was also special assistant to the chairman of that company in 1995 and 1996 . In 1996 he became president of Quarterdeck Equity Partners , a position he held until 2002 . Chain became a member of the board of directors of Thomas Group , a management consulting company , in 1995 , and was elevated to chairman of the board in 1998 . He is also a director of RJ Reynolds , Inc . , ConAgra Foods , Inc . and Kemper Insurance Co . . Chain ' s also serves as a board member of Northrop Grumman , one of the world ' s largest defense contractors . He gained this position in 1991 and oversaw the company ' s dramatic growth throughout the 1990s . John Chain has been active in politics , though mostly behind the scenes . He was a Bush Pioneer in 2000 , meaning that he gathered $ 100 , 000 for George W . Bush ' s 2000 presidential campaign . He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations .