MAJOR GENERAL DONALD L. MARKS

Major General Donald L. Marks is chief of staff, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

General Marks was born in 1935, in Cincinnati. He received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1957. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Air Command and Staff College in 1965, Armed Forces Staff College in 1970, Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1972 and Air War College in 1977. He also completed the Management Program for Executives at the University of Pittsburgh in 1982 and the Senior Managers in Government Course at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in 1983.

The general was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Cincinnati. He entered flight training at Graham Air Base, Fla., and received his pilot wings at Greenville Air Force Base, Miss., in November 1958. The general then was assigned to Rickenbacker (then Lockbourne) Air Force Base, Ohio, as a B-47 co-pilot and aircraft commander.

In October 1962 he began a seven-year assignment with the 456th Bombardment Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. While there he served as a co-pilot, aircraft commander, instructor pilot and wing staff officer, flying B-52s. The general was assigned to the 315th Tactical Airlift Wing at Phang Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in May 1970 and served as a C-123 aircraft commander and senior duty controller. Upon return to the United States, he was assigned to 2nd Air Force as an Air Staff officer and chief, T-39 Section, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

He transferred to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in July 1974 as commander of the 9th Bombardment Squadron. In July 1975 he became deputy commander of the 7th Combat Support Group at Carswell. After graduation from Air War College in July 1977, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. While there he served as deputy chief, Aircraft Division, and later as special assistant for international cooperative research and development, both within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development.

General Marks became vice commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., in April 1979, and assumed command of the 19th Bombardment Wing, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in July 1980. He then took command of the 42nd Bombardment Wing, Loring Air Force Base, Maine, in August 1981. He returned to Blytheville Air Force Base in August 1982 as commander of SAC's 42nd Air Division. In May 1984 the general became assistant deputy chief of staff, operations, SAC headquarters. In July 1986 General Marks assumed command of SAC's 3rd Air Division, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The division relocated to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, in August 1988. He assumed his present position in October 1989.

The general is a command pilot with more than 7,500 flying hours, including 355 combat hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He was promoted to major general Sept. 1, 1986, with same date of rank.

(Current as of November 1989)