John A . Shaud General John Albert Shaud ( born December 15 , 1933 ) is a retired United States Air Force four - star general who served as Chief of Staff , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ( COFS SHAPE ) from 1988 to 1991 . Shaud was born in 1933 in Cleveland , Ohio , where he graduated from Cleveland Heights High School . He attended Lafayette College for a year prior to entering the United States Military Academy . Upon graduation from West Point in 1956 , he received a bachelor of science degree and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force . He received a master of science degree from The George Washington University in 1967 and a doctorate from Ohio State University in 1971 . Shaud completed Squadron Officer School in 1962 , Air Command and Staff College in 1967 , and the National War College in 1974 . He received pilot wings upon graduation from training in August 1957 . In December 1957 he was assigned to the 358th Bombardment Squadron , Davis - Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona , as a B - 47 pilot . After completing B - 52 combat crew training in May 1964 , he was assigned to Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , as an aircraft commander with the 17th Bombardment Wing . Upon graduation from Air Command and Staff College in June 1967 , Shaud completed RF - 4C qualification training and was assigned to the Southeast Asia theater of operations in January 1968 . He served on the operations staff of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand , and later became an RF - 4C flight commander with the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Air Base , South Vietnam . Shaud returned to the United States and attended Ohio State University , where he received his doctorate in June 1971 . He then was assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , and served on the faculty of the Air Command and Staff College until entering the National War College in August 1973 . After graduating in June 1974 , the general was assigned to the 449th Bombardment Wing , Kincheloe Air Force Base , Michigan , as deputy commander for operations . In April 1975 he became vice commander of the wing . In January 1976 he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Plans and Operations , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . During this tour of duty he served as chief , Strategic Division ; deputy chief , Air Force Readiness Initiatives Group ; and assistant deputy director for readiness development . In June 1978 Shaud assumed command of the 92nd Bombardment Wing ( Heavy ) and , later , of the 47th Air Division , both at Fairchild Air Force Base , Washington . Shaud transferred to Minot Air Force Base , North Dakota , in August 1980 as commander of the 57th Air Division . As part of his responsibility , he performed special missions as commander of the strategic projection force when directed by the commander in chief of Strategic Air Command . In October 1981 Shaud returned to Air Force headquarters , where he served as deputy director of plans and , later , director of plans in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Plans and Operations . He remained at the Pentagon as deputy chief of staff for personnel from September 1985 to August 1986 . He then became commander of Air Training Command with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base , Texas . The command is responsible for recruiting Air Force personnel and providing their military , technical and flying training . He became Chief of Staff , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in July 1988 . A command pilot with more than 5 , 600 flying hours , Shaud has flown in more than 35 different types of aircraft , including the B - 47 , B - 52 , RF - 4C , T - 38 and C - 21A , and has logged 251 combat hours in the RF - 4C . His military decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters , and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster . He was promoted to general July 1 , 1988 , with same date of rank and retired from the Air Force on June 30 , 1991 .