▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁His ▁decor ations , ▁awards ▁and ▁comm end ations ▁include ▁the ▁Air ▁Medal ▁with ▁ 2 ▁Oak ▁Le af ▁Cl ust ers , ▁Air ▁Def ense ▁Medal , ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it , ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Medal , ▁and ▁the ▁Army ▁Comm end ation ▁Medal . ▁ ▁Civil ian ▁av iation ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁he ▁began ▁a ▁ 2 7 - year ▁civil ian ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Federal ▁A viation ▁Administration ▁( FA A ), ▁initially ▁serving ▁as ▁an ▁Equ al ▁O pport unity ▁Special ist ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁a ▁Senior ▁Air ▁Tra ffic ▁Special ist ▁and ▁Military ▁Air ▁Tra ffic ▁L ia ison . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁F AA , ▁he ▁ment ored ▁military ▁and ▁civil ian ▁av iation ▁profession als ▁and ▁assist ed ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁African - Amer icans ▁who ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁att ain ▁appoint ments ▁to ▁Ann apolis , ▁West ▁Point ▁or ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Academy . ▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁F AA ▁on ▁August ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁T usk eg ee ▁Air men , ▁Inc . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁and ▁two - term ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁T usk eg ee ▁Air men ▁In cor por ated , ▁and ▁a ▁sign atory ▁of ▁its ▁Articles ▁of ▁In cor por ation . ▁ ▁Awards ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁past ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Association ▁( A FA ) ▁and