When John MacArtney was named to the highly select position of Commandant of the Defense Intelligence College (now Joint Military Intelligence College) in 1984, with responsibilities similar to a civilian college president, he already had an accomplished operational and professional career. He had earlier flown F-100s and served at many of the bases in the world where F-100 units were stationed (Cannon, 524th IFS, with deployments to Takhli, Misawa and Kunsan; Wheelus, 7272 FTW; Bien Hoa, 3d TFW--187 combat missions) and had taught political science at the Academy for 10 years.

Graduating with the Class of 1960 (CS-3 at first; CS-12 at graduation), John went to pilot training (Moore AB, Reese AFB--first in his basic class) and F-100 training (Luke AFB, Nellis AFB) and spent the years up through his Vietnam tour in flying duties. Joining the Air Force and flying were John's ambition, and he fulfilled them by attending the Academy. Then Academy faculty duties opened a new avenue for personal and professional development by identifying his intellectual leanings. He always said that the greatest thing about the Air Force was that he could first fly and then teach without changing employers.

John met and married the former Anne Fields during pilot training. Their son Stephen was born in 1962. The marriage later ended in divorce.

John came back to the Academy's Political Science Department in 1970 and then returned to UCLA for PhD studies (1972-74), writing a dissertation of striking originality. Congressman and Senators, he wrote, were not to be seen solely as individual actors with an electoral mandate and personal preferences, but as heads of organizations, subject to all of the organizational advantages and distortions which were understood to be part of bureaucratic leadership. APSA panel after APSA panel heard citations of his work.

John brought welcome intellectual and operational leadership to the Academy, and his tenure appointment in political science would have enabled him to remain indefinitely. But he soon enough was promoted to O-6 and moved on to CINCPAC and the intelligence field. He moved from there to the Defense Intelligence College. He concluded his military career with faculty duty at the National War College, first in the Defense Intelligence Agency slot (which he invented) and then as a department head.

John applied and enhanced his scholarly and experiential credentials in retirement, gaining appointments at American University (professor, offering seminars in foreign and defense policy and intelligence) and Syracuse University (directing their semester in Washington program). In particular, John incorporated his professional and scholarly passion and intelligence into his teaching. And he continued to write, editing online "stuff," as he put it, for intelligence and former intelligence officers. He co-edited the biannual Intelligencer, also for the intelligence community, and continued to deliver papers on intelligence at the annual International Studies Association conventions. John's scholarship, course outlines and research collections in intelligence have made a significant contribution to the study of intelligence around the country. Moreover, the essential role of intelligence in the anti- terrorist campaign has added even greater relevance to his work.

In retirement John met and married Lorna Aldrich, an economist in the Department of Agriculture and artist, dancer and boon companion. In John's and Lorna's 14 years of marriage they had the added pleasure of ready association in Washington with John's beloved son, Phen. (Long ago a friend inquired, hearing John's proud announcement of a son, if the name was Stephen or Steven. "Phen," John replied, and a nickname was coined.)

John was awarded two Defense Superior Service medals, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, and an Air Force Commendation Medal. He also was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and 18 Air Medals.

John loved flying and teaching, interacting with professional colleagues and with students, whether 18-year-olds or mature officers, and his family. His most important legacy lies in the lives of these friends and students.

John died of the effects of prostate cancer, which he had battled for three years. His passing leaves a void in many lives, only partially compensated by the recollections of his warm friendship.

(Curtis Cook, '59)