Richard Toliver, a protégé of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, retired from the Air Force as a Colonel after twenty-six years of dedicated service. A “Top Gun” fighter pilot who flew 446 combat missions in Southeast Asia, he also directed the testing and evaluation of several major weapon systems and had key roles in tactical fighter aircraft research, development, and testing. He set a test record for the longest sustained G flight, averaging 4.5 Gs for 7 minutes, while flying the F-15 against two Top Gun adversary fighters over the Nevada desert.
Colonel Toliver is the author of two books: An Uncaged Eagle, which is an historical; and inspirational memoir that focuses on victory over adversity; and WOMAN – A Godly Creation, which is an inspirational and motivational book written to encourage women of all ages to better appreciate their God-given creative greatness. He continues to be in demand as a motivational speaker in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Colonel Toliver has been married for fifty-two years to the former Margaret A. Hairston of Baltimore, Maryland. The Tolivers have eight adult children, five of which are adopted or part of the family through acceptance, commitment, and love. They have thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.