Born in Jefferson City, Missouri in the United States of America on the 23rd of June, 1970, little is known of Conner's history before he enrolled in the University of Missouri-Rolla where he studied and gained a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. He later completed flight training at the Naval Air Station in Kingsville, Texas before training at the Naval Flight Weapons School. During this training, he gained a competence in using the 61A1 Vulcan 20mm Cannon, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-84 Anti-Ship missile cluster bombs and the AGM-65 Maverick missiles which were fitted on the F/A-18 Hornet Fighter he was also trained to use. (SG1: "The DVD Collection 11")