General John R. Galvin began his remarkable military career as an enlisted man in the National Guard in 1948. In 1950 he received an appointment to U.S. Military Academy. He was a company commander in the 101st Airborne and later a battalion commander in the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). He served two distinguished tours as a combat commander in Vietnam. Recognized early for his ability as a commander and leader, Galvin rose through the ranks rapidly, becoming a division commander and later a corps commander, and then Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Southern Command in Panama. In 1987, Gen. Galvin was chosen by the Allied nations of NATO to serve as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. After he retired from active duty, Galvin, who has a master's degree in English from Columbia, taught at West Point and Ohio State, and retired as the Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Gen. Galvin has written several books, including Air Assault: The Development of Airmobile Warfare. For more information on Gen. Galvin, see the text of the presentation of the Distinguished Graduate Award, U.S. Military Academy, 1997, to Gen. John R. Galvin.