Spence M. "Sam" Armstrong (born 1934[1]) is a retired three-star general, combat veteran, and test pilot in the United States Air Force (USAF).

Armstrong spent eleven more years as a senior executive at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) leading the agency's human resources efforts and programs with academia.

He spent a year at Vanderbilt University before entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

[3] Armstrong earned his pilot's wings in 1957 after completing flight training at Greenville Air Force Base in Mississippi.

In April 1958, Armstrong was assigned to the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina.

In July 1968, Armstrong returned to flight test as an instructor and later as the deputy commandant at the Aerospace Research Pilot School.

After a tour as the senior USAF representative at the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Armstrong was assigned in 1973 to the 12th Flying Training Wing as the base commander at Randolph AFB, Texas.

Armstrong was then assigned as commander of the Air Force Military Training Center, Lackland AFB, Texas.

[3] He initiated and moderated a series of interactive webcasts with universities and colleges that included presentations of new partnership opportunities with NASA and question-and-answer sessions with agency leaders.