Family: Born Dec. 25, 1936, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to John Albert (Jack) and Blanche Wood. Married Dixie Leigh Jones, March 27, 1961, in the Idaho Falls Temple; four children: Jennifer Mello, Rebecca Callahan, Amanda Belliston and Rachel Christian; eight grandchildren.
Education: Received bachelor's degree in history from Stanford University, master's and doctoral degrees in political science from Harvard University.Employment: Teaching fellow, Department of Government, Harvard University, 1964-65; assistant professor, Department of Government, Bentley College, 1965-67; professor, Woodrow Wilson Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia, 1967-1980; Fulbright visiting professor of Political Economy and European Community Law, University of Tilburg and the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 1971-72; visiting professor of strategy, U.S. Naval War College, 1977-79; chairman, Department of Strategy and Policy, U.S. Naval War College, 1980-83; director, Strategic Studies Group, Chief of Naval Operations, 1983-85, 1988; dean, Center for Naval Warfare Studies at U.S. Naval War College, 1983-1999; Chester W. Nimitz Chair of National Security and Foreign Affairs, U.S. Naval War College, 1984-99.
Church service: Area Authority Seventy; former regional representative, stake president, bishop and high councilor.