Rick graduated in 1980 from Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. From 1981-1984, he flew the F-111F operationally at RAF Lakenheath, England, followed by a tour at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho until 1987. He was a distinguished graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School and named the Tactical Air Command F-111 Instructor Pilot of the Year for 1985. Rick was selected for Outstanding Young Men of America in 1987. In 1988 he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland, as a USAF exchange officer.

Rick was a flight instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California, when selected for the astronaut program by NASA in January 1990, and became an astronaut in July 1991. Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch, he was part of a team responsible for crew ingress/strap-in prior to launch and crew egress after landing. He was subsequently assigned to flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Additionally, he served as the Astronaut Office representative for both flight crew procedures and Shuttle computer software development. He also served as the Astronaut Office Vehicle System and Operations Branch Chief, leading a team of several astronauts and support engineers working on Shuttle and International Space Station systems development, rendezvous and landing/rollout operations, and advanced projects initiatives.

Now a veteran of three shuttle flights, Rick has spent over 39 days in space. He served as pilot on STS-58 (October 18 to November 1, 1993) and STS-76 (March 22 to 31, 1996), and was the mission commander on STS-90 (April 17 to May 3, 1998). Rick retired from the Air Force and left NASA in 1998. During his career he has logged over 5,000 hours flying time in 56 different types of aircraft and over 939 hours in space. Rick has been the recipient of the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three NASA Spaceflight Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Legion of Merit. He also holds FAA Airline Transport Pilot, glider, and flight instructor ratings.

Since leaving NASA, Rick has been sharing the lessons, wonder, and vision of human space exploration with many thousands of people as a professional speaker. He has recently begun flying again as a test pilot.

Rick is a member of the Association of Space Explorers, the National Eagle Scout Association, the Air Force Association, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Rick and wife Julie have three daughters. They currently live in California. He enjoys running, soccer, radio-controlled model aircraft, Scouting, backpacking, and classical music.