Russell C . Davis Lieutenant General Russell C . Davis ( born October 22 , 1938 ) was a United States Air Force Lieutenant General who served as commander of the District of Columbia National Guard and Chief of the National Guard Bureau . Early life . Russell C . Davis was born in Tuskegee , Alabama on October 22 , 1938 , and graduated from Tuskegee Institute High School . As recounted in a speech at Simpson College , Davis ' s great - great grandfather , a former slave , helped raise money to found what now is known as Tuskegee University . Davis ’ s grandfather worked for George Washington Carver at Tuskegee , and Davis related that when he was a child attending a nursery school on campus , Carver was still a well - known figure at the school , the " tall man in a lab coat " who gave the children candy . He began his military career in 1958 as an aviation cadet in the United States Air Force , and he received his commission in 1960 . Following pilot training , he was assigned at Lincoln Air Force Base , Nebraska , and he graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Arts degree in general education in 1963 . He was released from active duty in April , 1965 . Start of National Guard career . Upon release from active duty Davis joined the Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines . He served in numerous command and staff positions from squadron pilot to director of operations , and advanced through the ranks to Colonel . In 1969 Davis completed his Juris Doctor degree at Drake University and became an attorney . He practiced Until 1979 , when he went on active duty with the Air National Guard . Davis graduated from the Air Command and Staff College in 1973 and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1979 . Later National Guard career . In June , 1979 Davis was appointed as Chief of Manpower and Personnel at the Air National Guard Support Center , Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland . From March , 1980 to January , 1982 he was Executive Officer to the Director of the Air National Guard . From February , 1982 to July , 1990 he commanded the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing , and he was promoted to Brigadier General in December , 1982 . Davis was the first African - American to become a general officer in the Air National Guard . In 1989 Davis graduated from the National and International Security Management Course at Harvard University . Davis was the Assistant for National Guard Matters for the commander of the Tactical Air Command from July , 1990 to December , 1991 . He was promoted to Major General in August , 1990 . D . C . National Guard . in December , 1991 Davis was appointed commander of the District of Columbia National Guard . He served in this position until December , 1995 . National Guard Bureau . In December , 1995 Davis was appointed Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau . He held this post until August , 1998 , when he was named Chief of the National Guard Bureau and promoted to Lieutenant General . Davis was the first African - American to serve as NGB Chief , and he held the position until retiring in November , 2002 . In January , 2002 Davis received a letter of rebuke from the Secretary of the Air Force . He received the letter as a result of an investigation which revealed that he had failed to discipline a senior aide who had sexually harassed a colleague , and had misled investigators about his role in the incident . The investigator ' s report indicated that Davis ' s version of events was " not credible " and " failed to meet the standard for honesty . " At the time of his retirement , Davis was the last member of the aviation cadet program to still be serving in the military . Retirement . Davis was active in several educational and civic endeavors , including serving as member of the Drake University Board of Trustees and President of National Tuskeege Airmen , Inc .