▁Center ▁▁▁▁▁▁ 0 0 2 3 6 8 ▁Category : Dis cover ies ▁by ▁Paul ▁Wild ▁( Sw iss ▁astronom er ) ▁Category : Min or ▁plan ets ▁named ▁for ▁people ▁Category : Named ▁minor ▁plan ets ▁ 0 0 2 3 6 8 ▁ 1 9 7 7 0 9 0 4 <0x0A> </s> ▁John ▁Frederick ▁Nich ols ▁is ▁a ▁retired ▁Major ▁General ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁National ▁Guard ▁and ▁the ▁former ▁Ad j ut ant ▁General ▁of ▁Texas . ▁ ▁Career ▁R ais ed ▁in ▁B owie , ▁Maryland , ▁Nich ols ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁station ed ▁at ▁Torre j ón ▁Air ▁Base ▁in ▁Spain ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁War ▁before ▁being ▁assigned ▁to ▁The ▁Pent agon . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Nich ols ▁joined ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁Air ▁National ▁Guard ▁and ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 2 8 th ▁F ighter ▁Wing . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Oper ations ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 6 th ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁before ▁serving ▁as ▁an ▁operations ▁group ▁commander ▁at ▁Tru ax ▁Field ▁Air ▁National ▁Guard ▁Base ▁in ▁Mad ison , ▁Wisconsin ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Vice ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 9 th ▁F ighter