He was the United States Ambassador to Burkina Faso from 1984 to 1987 (then the Republic of Upper Volta).
He was arms policy officer in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in the State Department from 1966 to 1968.
He was principal officer in Zaire from 1970 to 1972, deputy chief of mission in Chad from 1972 to 1974, and counselor for political affairs in the Dominican Republic from 1974 to 1977.
In 1977, he was on detail to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as assistant for plans and policies until 1979.
[3] On June 18, 1984, he was nominated to be the United States Ambassador to Upper Volta by President Ronald Reagan while he was a resident in Maryland.