A Tuskegee Airman during World War II, he became the third black Major General in the United States Air Force.

[3] According to the Official DEOMI (Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute) website, General Theus chaired the military task force that resulted in Defense Directive 1322.11 which in 1971 established the military's Race Relations Board and resulted in the founding of the DEOMI then known as the DRRI.

[4] His tour of duty began in World War II as a private in the Army Air Corps.

[2] He spent much of his military career developing and implementing administrative systems to improve the life of the average airman and soldier.

While assigned to the Pentagon, he chaired the inter-service task force where his recommendations led to a Department of Defense-wide race relations education and policy development, and establishment of the forerunner to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.