▁university ▁of ▁Kansas ▁at ▁Lawrence ▁and ▁university ▁of ▁Missouri ▁at ▁Columbia . ▁K ane ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁USA ir ▁Force ▁as ▁a ▁flight ▁navig ator , ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 5 th ▁and ▁ 3 8 th ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Re con na issance ▁Wing ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 3 - 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁Dist ingu ished ▁flying ▁cross ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Medal ▁for ▁his ▁explo its ▁during ▁the ▁cold ▁war . ▁His ▁job ▁as ▁an ▁electronic ▁war fare ▁officer ▁were ▁considered ▁sp y ▁miss ions ▁as ▁they ▁involved ▁crossing ▁the ▁U . S . S . R . ▁and ▁were ▁not ▁public ly ▁dis closed ▁until ▁after ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cur tain ▁fell ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁reserve ▁officer ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 - 1 9 6 6 ▁and ▁retired ▁at ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Air ▁Force ▁Captain . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁ 9 1 st ▁con gress ▁as ▁a ▁professional ▁staff ▁a ide ▁to ▁the ▁house ▁veter ans ▁committee . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁for ▁Cor ning ▁l abs ▁( Form er ly ▁Cor ning ▁G lass ▁Works ) ▁developing ▁early ▁fi ber ▁optical ▁cable ▁technology . ▁Adv ances ▁in ▁Opt ical ▁fi ber ▁communic ations ▁based ▁on ▁his ▁pat ents ▁for ▁heat ▁sens ing ▁enabled ▁the ▁trans mitt al ▁increase ▁ 1 0 0 - fold ▁over ▁co pper ▁lines ▁from ▁node ▁to ▁node ▁sp anning ▁a