He earned a master's degree in business administration from Ohio State University in 1967 and graduated from the Naval War College in 1974.

[2] He retired as a four-star general and Commander in Chief, USAFE and Allied Air Force Central Europe (AAFCE) in 1994 after serving for 34 years.

[4] He also received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for "exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States culminating as commander of Air Training Command with headquarters at Randolph AFB, from 1990 to 1994".

[5] In 2000, Oaks resigned from his Senior Vice President position at U.S. Airways when he was called to serve as a general authority and member of the LDS Church's Second Quorum of the Seventy.

[9] In 2011, Oaks was the keynote speaker at the 70th anniversary of the Utah Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the USAF, at a memorial service at Hill Aerospace Museum Chapel.