Guy’s Bio
Guy was born in Altavista, VA on January 6, 1948, and grew up in Alexandria, VA. As a young boy, he loved being outdoors, reading science fiction and dreaming of flying in space someday. He was in 8th grade when the first astronauts flew in space, confirming his dream could be realized. Since all the early astronauts were test pilots, he chose to pursue that route – Air Force Academy, Purdue University, fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut.
Guy began his operational flying career stationed at Udorn, Thailand in 1972. There he flew 177 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom during the Vietnam War. He then served as an F-4 instructor and operational pilot at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.
In 1975, Guy attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Following graduation he served as a test pilot with the 6512th Test Squadron and then as an instructor test pilot at the USAF Test Pilot School. In 1978-80, he was a test pilot and operations officer with the 1st Test Squadron at Clark Air Base, Philippines.
Selected by NASA as a pilot astronaut in 1980, Guy worked in many areas of Space Shuttle and Space Station development and support. He was originally assigned to fly on STS-62A, the first Space Shuttle mission scheduled to go into a polar orbit out of Vandenburg AFB, CA. However, that mission was cancelled following the Challenger accident.
Fulfilling his boyhood dream, Guy first flew in space as pilot on the crew of STS-27, aboard the Orbiter Atlantis, on December 2-6, 1988. The mission carried a classified Department of Defense payload. Guy next flew as pilot on the crew of STS-35, aboard the Orbiter Columbia, on December 2-10 1990. The mission carried the ASTRO-1 astronomy laboratory consisting of three ultraviolet telescopes and one x-ray telescope.
After his second space flight, Guy returned to the Air Force as Head of the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In 1992, he retired from the Air Force to rejoin NASA, this time at NASA Headquarters as the Associate Administrator for Space Flight (Russian Programs) with the primary role of Program Director of the joint U.S./Russian Shuttle-Mir Program. He also served as Mission Director and Director of Quality Assurance.
In 1995, Guy joined the Federal Aviation Administration as Director of the William J. Hughes Technical Center, at the Atlantic City Int’l Airport, in New Jersey. He then moved to FAA Headquarters in 1996 as the Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, leading the government organization responsible for oversight and regulation of civil aviation safety.
During the school year 1998-99, Guy served as a motivational/educational speaker to students across the country. The following year, while earning his Masters Degree in Education, he served as a high school mathematics teacher at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, and a student teacher in physics at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia. He then served as a mathematics teacher at The Potomac School in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Guy has also served as Principal and Director of Omega Systems Group, a risk management consulting company, and as Vice President for Space Flight Development of Space Adventures, Ltd., a space tourism company. From 2004 to 2006, Guy was the Director of Super Project Development at Purdue University, where he helped manage research programs, taught engineering, and supported alumni and community relations and development efforts.
From 2006 to 2009 Guy served as the Superintendent/President of Riverside Preparatory Academy in Gainesville, GA. Riverside is a boys college-prep military boarding and day school for grades 7-12.
From 2009 to 2013 Guy served as the President of the Williamson College of the Trades, a residential three-year junior college trade school in Media, PA. Williamson is known for instilling good character and work ethic along with trade skills and academic knowledge in young men from lower income families.
In 2014, Guy fulfilled another boyhood dream by backpacking the 2185 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. You can get a copy of his journal here.
In recent years Guy has taught high school physics, government and economics to students in home school co-ops. He currently spends his time enjoying family, hiking and biking, and frequently mingling with visitors and speaking at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
First meeting each other on a blind date in college, the awesome Linda Gardner and Guy have been married for over 50 years. She has served as an elementary school teacher and art teacher. She also served as the much loved First Lady wherever Guy served as the leader of a school. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Guy’s volunteer activities have included: member of various advisory boards, speaker to school and civic groups, church youth group leader, adult and youth Sunday school teacher, Explorer Post leader, and a member of Home Helps – a local volunteer group helping elderly folks with jobs around their houses.
Education:
— Bachelor of Science Degree with a triple major in Astronautics, Mathematics, and Engineering Science from the United States Air Force Academy in 1969 (Distinguished Graduate).
— Master of Science Degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University in 1970.
— Master of Arts Degree in Education from Virginia Tech in 2000 (Certified in Mathematics and Physics).
— Numerous Flight, Leadership and Management courses including USAF Pilot Training, Fighter Pilot Upgrade Training, USAF Instructor Pilot School, USAF Test Pilot School, Air Force Squadron Officer School, Air Force Command and Staff College, and the Defense Systems Management College (Top Graduate at the USAF Pilot Training and Top Graduate in USAF Test Pilot School).
Other Honors and Awards:
2 Defense Superior Service Medals, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, National Intelligence Medal of Achievement, Air Force Legion of Merit, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Air Medals, Test Pilot School Outstanding Academic Instructor and Outstanding Flying Instructor, Purdue University Outstanding Aerospace Engineer.