▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Pl ans ▁at ▁H ick am ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Hawai i . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Nich ol son ▁transferred ▁to ▁Head quarters ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force , ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁staff ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Pl ans , ▁Office ▁of ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff , ▁Pl ans ▁and ▁Oper ations . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁as ▁executive ▁officer ▁to ▁the ▁director ▁for ▁operations . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁National ▁War ▁College . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁Nich ol son ▁transferred ▁to ▁Davis - Month an ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Arizona , ▁where ▁he ▁fle w ▁F - 4 s ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁another ▁combat ▁tour ▁of ▁duty ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁reduction ▁in ▁forces ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁Gr iss om ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Ind ., ▁as ▁vice ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 0 5 th ▁Air ▁Ref uel ing ▁Wing . ▁ ▁Nich ol son ▁transferred ▁to ▁Lock bourne ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Ohio , ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁where ▁he ▁assumed ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁commander , ▁ 3 0 1 st ▁Air ▁Ref