General Richard B. Myers retired as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 1 October, 2005, where he served as the principal military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council.
A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Myers graduated from Kansas State University in 1965, the same year he joined the Air Force. He went on to serve in significant positions throughout the Air Force. His commands included U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Japan; Pacific Air Forces at Hickam AFB, Hawaii; and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command at Peterson AFB, Colorado.
As a fighter pilot, General Myers logged more than 4,100 hours, primarily in the F-4, F-15 and F-16, as well as more than 600 combat hours in the F-4 during the Vietnam conflict.
Today General Myers serves on several public and non-profit boards and lectures nationally on leadership and national security issues. He is also Foundation Professor of Military History and Leadership at Kansas State University and holds the Colin Powell Chair of Leadership, Ethics, and Character at National Defense University.