Colonel Stafford R. Brooke, Jr. was born in Dalton, Georgia. In 1945, he entered North Georgia College and graduated in 1948 with a BS in physics. In 1949, he entered the U.S. Army and was assigned as a Company Officer, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. From June 1950 to May 1954, he served as a Company Officer and Battalion Staff Officer with the 43rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 2d Armored Division.

Subsequently, Colonel Brooke was assigned as an Instructor at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia until March of 1957 when he was made an Administrative Assistant to J3, HQ UNC/FEC, Tokyo, Japan. He was then assigned to the Office of the Chief of Staff, HQ USFJ until November 1959.

Upon returning to CONUS, Colonel Burke attended Tulane University and received a MS degree in Nuclear Physics. He later became an instructor at the U.S. Army Chemical Center and School until he was made Commanding Officer of the 2d Chemical Battalion. He then was assigned as Assistant G3 (Chemical), HQ IIFFV. Upon returning from Vietnam, he was assigned as Chief, Nuclear Policy Branch, then served as Chief, Chemical Branch, OPD, OPO, DA in Washington, D.C. His last assignment was as Commandant, U.S. Army Chemical Center and School, Fort McClellan, Alabama.