while at indiana university, gates was recruited by the central intelligence agency and joined in 1966. on january 4, 1967, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the united states air force after attending officer training school under cia sponsorship. from 1967 to 1969, he was assigned to the strategic air command as an intelligence officer, which included a year at whiteman air force base in missouri, where he delivered intelligence briefings to intercontinental ballistic missile crews. after fulfilling his military obligation, he rejoined the cia as an intelligence analyst.