Major General Richard D. Murray is commander of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, with headquarters in Dallas.
General Murray was born in 1930, in Shreveport, La., where he completed his elementary and secondary education. He graduated from Baylor University, Waco, Texas, in 1954 with a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1960 and Air Command and Staff College in 1965. Both schools are located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
He entered the U.S. Air Force through Baylor University's Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps commissioning program in June 1954. His initial assignment was as base budget officer at Webb Air Force Base, Texas. In July 1956 he was assigned to the Directorate of Budget, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Lindsey Air Station, Germany.
From August 1959 to September 1960, General Murray served in the Auditor General's resident office at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. He then attended Squadron Officer School and remained there as an instructor until August 1964. After graduating from Air Command and Staff College, he became adviser to the Spanish air force comptroller from 1966 to 1969, and adviser to the Vietnamese comptroller from August 1969 to August 1970.
The general was then named comptroller at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. In January 1973 he moved to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., as chief, Operations Division, Directorate of Budget, and in July 1974 became the command's director of budget. In February 1976 he was assigned as deputy chief of staff, comptroller, for Tactical Air Command. He provided management and financial advice to the commander and his staff, and was responsible for the functions of budgeting, accounting, and management and cost analysis.
General Murray remained at Langley Air Force Base until June 1979 when he joined the Office of the Comptroller at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as deputy director of budget. In June 1981 he became deputy commander of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and assumed his present duties in March 1982.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st Class and Republic of Vietnam Air Service Medal Honor Class.
He was promoted to major general Aug. 1, 1982, with date of rank May 1, 1979.
(Current as of September 1982)