He is also a descendant of New Paltz, New York patentees, or founders, Louis Bevier, Simon LeFevre, and Christian Deyo.

He was a member of the New York National Guard which enabled him to gain appointment to the United States Military Academy in July 1928.

In 1940, Ackerman, at this point promoted to captain, served as station weather officer and assistant operations manager at Chanute Field in Illinois.

Following this assignment, Captain Ackerman was sent back to the California Institute of Technology with three others for research on a project concerning long-range weather forecasts.

Promoted again, now Colonel Ackerman was assigned to the China-Burma-India theater during World War II to serve as a planner for General George E. Stratemeyer.

Upon his return to the United States in 1958, General Ackerman was named deputy commander of the Air Force Security Service stationed in San Antonio, Texas, the location of one of his first military assignments.

Ackerman married firstly Virginia Beech Svarz on September 8, 1934, in Los Angeles County, California.