Ellie G . Schuler , Jr . Lieutenant General E . G . " Buck " Shuler Jr . ( born 1936 ) was commander of Strategic Air Command ' s Eighth Air Force in Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana . Eighth Air Force is responsible for Strategic Air Command operations in the eastern half of the United States , Europe and the Middle East . It comprises about half of SAC ' s long - range force of manned bombers , tankers and intercontinental ballistic missiles . Biography . General Shuler was born in 1936 , in Raleigh , North Carolina . He was educated in the city schools of Caracas , Venezuela , and Orangeburg , S . C . , graduating from Orangeburg High School in 1955 . The general earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina in 1959 and a master of science degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1967 . He completed Squadron Officer School in 1964 , Command and Staff Course of the Naval War College in 1972 , and the National War College in 1976 . Shuler , a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program , was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1959 and entered active duty in July . He completed preflight training at Lackland Air Force Base , Texas , and primary flight training at Moore Air Base , Texas . After graduating from T - 33 basic jet training at Laredo Air Force Base , Texas , he received his pilot wings in September 1960 . General Shuler then was assigned to the 9th Bombardment Squadron , Carswell Air Force Base , Texas , as a B - 52F pilot . From September 1963 until June 1966 he served with the 337th Bombardment Squadron , Dyess Air Force Base , Texas , as a B - 52E pilot and aircraft commander of a lead crew . After completing his master ' s degree in June 1967 General Shuler was assigned to the 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron , George Air Force Base , California , as a replacement training unit fighter pilot . In March 1968 he transferred to the 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron , Cam Ranh Bay Air Base , South Vietnam , as an F - 4C aircraft commander . He served as an assistant flight commander and flow 107 combat missions over North Vietnam , the Republic of Vietnam and Laos . He also participated in the 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron ' s operational deployment to South Korea following the USS Pueblo crisis , flying 15 combat support missions along the Korean demilitarized zone . Upon returning to the United States in March 1969 , General Shuler was assigned to Headquarters 2nd Air Force , Barksdale Air Force Base , as an industrial engineer and subsequently served as deputy chief of the Engineering Management Division . The general completed the Base Civil Engineer Course at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , as a distinguished graduate in November 1969 . He completed the Central Flight Instructor Course at Castle Air Force Base , Calif . , in April 1970 , and assumed additional duties as a T - 39 instructor pilot with the 2nd Bombardment Wing standardization board . He ended his tour of duty at Barksdale in July 1971 as the assistant deputy chief of staff for civil engineering . General Shuler graduated from the Command and Staff Course of the Naval War College in June 1972 and was assigned as assistant executive officer to the commander in chief , U . S . Air Forces in Europe , Linsey Air Station , West Germany . He moved with the headquarters to Ramstein Air Base , West Germany , in 1973 . From July 1973 to July 1975 he served as base civil engineer and commander with the 86th Civil Engineering Squadron at Ramstein . The general completed the National War College in June 1976 and then was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base , Neb . , where he served as director of operations , 3902nd Air Base Wing , and as commander of the 3902nd Operations Squadron . In November 1976 General Shuler transferred to Headquarters Strategic Air Command at Offutt and served as director of programs , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering and Services . He was selected to be the executive to the SAC commander in chief in July 1977 . In April 1979 he transferred to the 19th Bombardment Wing , Robins Air Force Base , Ga . , as vice commander and in January 1980 assumed command of the wing . In July 1980 he was assigned as commander , 42nd Bombardment Wing , Loring Air Force Base , Maine . General Shuler served as commander of 4th Air Division , F . E . Warren Air Force Base , Wyo . , from September 1981 until July 1984 , when he became commander of 3rd Air Division , Andersen Air Force Base , Guam . In July 1986 he returned to Headquarters Strategic Air Command as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and in December 1986 became deputy chief of staff for operations . He assumed his last command in March 1988 . Schuler retired on 1 June 1991 . Awards and Honors . The general is a command pilot with more than 7 , 500 flying hours , including 209 combat hours accrued during the Vietnam War . General Shuler is a member of Tau Beta Pi , a national engineering honor society . He was promoted to lieutenant general March 23 , 1988 , with same date of rank .