Myers, Richard Bowman

Myers, Richard Bowman, 1942–, American Air Force general, b. Kansas City, Mo. He studied at Kansas State Univ., graduating and joining the Air Force in 1965; he later attended Auburn Univ. (M.A., 1977), the Air Command and Staff College, and U.S. Army War College. Myers was a fighter pilot and wing commander during the Vietnam War. He served as head of the U.S. forces in Japan (1993–96), commander of Pacific Air Forces (1997–98), and assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1996–97). From 1998 to 2000 he was the commander of the U.S. Space Command in Colorado. Named vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2000, he was appointed chairman by President George W. Bush in 2001. Bowman is particularly known for his expertise in space-related and Asian military affairs.