Robert C. Oaks

Robert Charles Oaks (born February 14, 1936) is a retired U.S. Air Force general who served as commander of Air Training Command and United States Air Forces in Europe. Oaks was also a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2000 to 2009. He is a first cousin to LDS Church apostle Dallin H. Oaks.^[1]

Background and education

Oaks was born on February 14, 1936 in Los Angeles, California to Charles and Ann Oaks. He grew up in Provo, Utah, where he graduated from Brigham Young High School in 1954. In 1959, Oaks was in the first class to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, receiving a bachelor's degree in Military Science. He earned a master's degree in business administration from Ohio State University in 1967 and graduated from the Naval War College in 1974.

Military Assignments

Upon completing pilot training, Oaks served as a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, once being shot down over the Mekong Delta. His command positions included the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, in Naples, Italy; Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; and eventually, United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He also held several key planning and personnel staff positions at headquarters U.S. Air Force, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C., U.S. Air Forces in Europe. He retired as a four-star General and Commander and Chief of U.S. Air Forces Europe and NATO Central Europe in 1994 after serving 34 years.

Post-military

Following his retirement, Oaks was employed at U.S. Airways as Senior Vice President. In 2000, Oaks resigned from this position when he was called to serve as a general authority and member of the LDS Church's Second Quorum of the Seventy.^[2] In this capacity, Oaks served as president of the church's Africa East Area. In 2004, he was called to Presidency of the Seventy, filling a vacancy created when Dieter F. Uchtdorf was called as a church apostle. In that capacity, Oaks oversaw the affairs of the church in the North America Central Area. He was released from the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2007 and again served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy and as president of the Europe Area of the church until 2009, when he was released as a general authority.

Notes

References

• "Elder Robert C. Oaks of the Seventy", Ensign, May 2000.