Robert Oaks
From USAFA Folklore
General Robert C. Oaks, class of 1959 progressed from service as a young fighter pilot through commands at the flight, squadron, wing, and air command level to become Commander-in-Chief of all US Air Forces in Europe.
After graduating in the Academy’s first class, he attended pilot training and became an F-100 fighter pilot. In 1965, he deployed to Vietnam where he flew 188 combat missions. He was shot down once and rescued. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for accurate night close air support of troops under heavy enemy fire even after the flare aircraft ran short of flares to illuminate the target. After Southeast Asia, he had command assignments in F-111 squadrons and an F-4 wing.
While stationed at the Academy in the late sixties, he was an Air Officer Commanding and later directed the Academy’s Honor and Ethics Program. In 1983, he served as Director of Personnel Plans for the Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Personnel, and in early 1985 became Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel. In the fall of 1986 General Oaks returned to command assignments, first in Naples, Italy, dual-hatted as the Commander of Allied Air Forces Southern Europe and Deputy Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Southern Region, and then at Randolph AFB in mid-1988 as the Commander of Air Training Command.
Promoted to General in mid-1990, he culminated his military career at Ramstein Air Base as Commander-in-Chief of US Air Forces in Europe and Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe. This was an exceptionally difficult time for both USAFE and NATO, as the end of the Cold War brought a need to re-focus the alliance and meet political pressures for reduction in units, bases and training areas. At the same time, the perceived threat to the industrial free world moved markedly from Europe to the Middle East. As CINC USAFE, General Oaks’ challenge was to convert what had been a basic war fighting command to a basic support command, while still maintaining the highest level of combat capability possible under the circumstances. Not only were virtually all personnel and equipment that fought in Desert Storm lifted through USAFE bases, but some 40% of the fighter air was prepared and launched by USAFE units. His staff’s post-Gulf War efforts to restructure and reconfigure USAFE’s forces provided the foundation for subsequent military operations over Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo.
General Oaks retired in 1994 as the last member of the Academy’s first graduating class on active duty. Later that year he became Vice President for Compliance and Safety at US Airways, and was charged with building a safety program to restore public confidence in that major air carrier after a series of mishaps. He was subsequently promoted to be the company’s Senior Vice President for Flight Operations.
While still with US Airways, General Oaks was called in 1997 by his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to assume the presidency of its congregations in the Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania area. When he accepted this position he became responsible for the organization and ecclesiastical operation of ten congregations with over 3500 members. In 2000 his church asked that he take on the even greater task of being President for its Africa Southeast Area. He and his wife now live in South Africa, where he is responsible for almost 200 congregations with 60,000 members and 750 missionaries. His purview extends through 17 countries, ranging from Ethiopia south around the Cape of Good Hope and up to Angola.
