BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES L. CROUCH Brigadier General James L. Crouch is director of information systems, J6, U.S. Readiness Command; and deputy director of information systems, Joint Deployment Agency, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.General Crouch was born in Hillsboro, Texas, in 1935. He graduated from Keller (Texas) High School in 1952. In 1955 the general graduated from North Texas State University, Denton, with a bachelor of arts degree in history and a commission in the U.S. Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He has a master's degree in business administration from Ohio State University, Columbus, which he received in 1967 through the Minuteman Education Program. General Crouch's professional military education included completion as a distinguished graduate of Squadron Officer School in 1961 and Air Command and Staff College in 1971, both located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He completed Air War College through the seminar program in 1974. An article he authored on the early history of the U.S. Air Force was published in the Aerospace Historian.Following his graduation and commissioning in 1955, General Crouch was initially assigned to Stallings Air Force Base, N.C. He then became an air transportation officer at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. From March 1956 to April 1958, he was assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Upon his return to the continental United States in 1958, General Crouch served with the Military Airlift Command at Dover Air Force Base, Del., until August 1959.He then cross-trained into avionics maintenance and attended an 11-month training program at Lowry Air Force Base, Colo. The general served as an avionics maintenance officer in the 507th Fighter Wing, Kincheloe Air Force Base, Mich., from June 1960 to May 1963.In 1963 General Crouch transferred to missile operations and served four years as a missile launch officer, missile combat crew commander, instructor and wing senior instructor in the 44th Strategic Missile Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. He was assigned, from October 1967 to October 1968, to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, as assistant maintenance supervisor in the 640-man 355th Avionics Maintenance Squadron. While in Thailand, General Crouch was involved extensively in several modification programs to the F-105 which improved bombing accuracy.Upon completion of his Southeast Asia tour of duty, General Crouch returned to Ellsworth Air Force Base as an operations plans officer and then officer-in-charge of the Field Maintenance Branch, 44th Missile Maintenance Squadron. After graduation from Air Command and Staff College in July 1971, he was assigned to SAC headquarters in the Directorate of Missile Maintenance, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.In April 1975 General Crouch moved to Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., where he served initially as commander of the 321st Missile Maintenance Squadron. Following a unit reorganization into two separate squadrons, he became the commander of the 321st Organizational Missile Maintenance Squadron. From November 1975 to July 1977, he was assigned as assistant deputy commander for maintenance of the 321st Strategic Missile Wing. He then became the wing's deputy commander for maintenance.General Crouch was assigned to the 341st Strategic Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., in July 1978 and became the wing's vice commander in August 1978. The general took command of the wing in May 1979. In June 1981 General Crouch returned to SAC headquarters and served as director of intercontinental ballistic missile requirements and special assistant for M-X affairs, for the deputy chief of staff, plans; and in July 1982 he became deputy chief of staff for data systems. He assumed his present duties in June 1984.The general wears the master missile badge and the non-rated aircrew wings. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster and Combat Readiness Medal.He was promoted to brigadier general Sept. 1, 1982, with same date of rank.His hometown is Keller, Texas.(Current as of January 1986)