Larry D . Welch General ( retired ) Larry D . Welch ( born June 9 , 1934 ) was the 12th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force . As chief , he served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization , training and equipage of a combined active duty , Guard , Reserve and civilian force serving at locations in the United States and overseas . As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , he and the other service chiefs functioned as the principal military advisers to the Secretary of Defense , National Security Council and the President . He currently serves as the Chairman of the Nuclear Weapon Surety Task Force for the Defense Science Board . Early life and career . General Welch was born in Guymon , Oklahoma , and graduated from Liberal ( Kansas ) High School in 1952 . He received a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from the University of Maryland , College Park and a master of science degree in international relations from The George Washington University , Washington , D . C . The general completed Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk , Virginia , in 1967 , and National War College at Fort Lesley J . McNair , Washington , D . C . , in 1972 . Welch is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award . He enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in October 1951 , serving with the 161st Armored Field Artillery until he enlisted in the United States Air Force . In November 1953 , he entered the aviation cadet program and received his pilot wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant . He served initially as a flight instructor until his assignment in July 1958 , to Headquarters Air Training Command , Randolph Air Force Base , Texas . Later military career . General Welch then served in tactical fighter units in Europe , the continental United States and Alaska before transferring to the Republic of Vietnam where he flew combat mission s in F - 4C Phantom II s over North and South Vietnam , and Laos . After completing the Armed Forces Staff College in July 1967 , he was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . , under the assistant chief of staff for studies and analysis . Upon graduation from the National War College in July 1972 , he was assigned to Tactical Air Command , where he served in wing deputy commander for operations , vice commander and wing commander positions . In August 1977 , he transferred to Headquarters Tactical Air Command where he served as inspector general , deputy chief of staff for plans and deputy chief of staff for operations . In June 1981 , he became commander of the Ninth Air Force and Air Force component commander for the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force . In November 1982 , he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for programs and resources at Air Force headquarters and became vice chief of staff of the U . S . Air Force in July 1984 . From August 1985 to June 1986 , he served as commander in chief , Strategic Air Command , and director , Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff , Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . He became Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force in July 1986 . Welch is one of only two modern service chiefs to have risen from enlisted rank to his service ' s highest position , the other being Navy Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda . Decorations . The general is a command pilot with more than 6 , 500 flying hours . His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Meritorious Service Medal , Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters , Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters , Joint Meritorious Unit Award and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with " V " device and two oak leaf clusters . Retirement and further work . He was promoted to General August 1 , 1984 , with same date of rank and retired on July 1 , 1990 . In 1998 he spent several months on the Rumsfeld Commission , which reported to Congress on the ballistic missile threat to the United States . Welch recently ( 2009 ) retired as the president of the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria , Virginia . . He is also on the board of directors of the Henry L . Stimson Center , a think tank which describes itself as a " nonprofit , nonpartisan institution devoted to enhancing international peace and security through a unique combination of rigorous analysis and outreach . " . In October 2007 , Welch was asked by Robert Gates to lead the Defense Science Board task force that would study the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident as part of a larger review of US Department of Defense procedures and policies for handling nuclear weapons . Welch briefed the results of the review before the U . S . Senate Committee on Armed Services on February 12 , 2008 .