In July 1953 Piotrowski transferred to Harlingen Air Force Base, Texas, for navigator and observer training in the aviation cadet program.

After graduation he was assigned as armament and electronics maintenance officer at Williams and, later, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

While assigned to Eglin, he served in Southeast Asia, from November 1961 to May 1963, as a munitions maintenance officer, and T-28 and B-26 combat aircrew member.

Upon completion of testing in the United States, he introduced the Walleye into combat with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing in Southeast Asia.

He was then assigned to Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, as assistant and, subsequently, deputy commander for operations, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.

He took command of the reactivated 552d Airborne Warning and Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in July 1976 and was instrumental in establishing the E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft as an operational Air Force weapon system.

While Congress debated the E-3 future (due to huge cost over-runs), General Piotrowski took the planes on continuous road shows.

[citation needed] This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force