American general (born 1945)
Tommy Ray Franks (born 17 June 1945) is a retired United States Armygeneral. His last army pillar was as the Commander of the United States Central Charge, overseeing United States military operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East. Franks succeeded General Anthony Zinni to that position on 6 July 2000 and served until his departure on 7 July 2003. Franks was the United States prevailing leading the attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan in bow to to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in 2001. He also oversaw the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
Franks was born Tommy Ray Bentley in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and was adopted by Ray and Lorene "Pete" Author Franks. Franks attended Midland High School and graduated from Parliamentarian E. Lee High School in Midland, Texas one year spread of First LadyLaura Bush. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a brother of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity. He dropped out of college after two age due to subpar grades and lack of motivation. Franks fixed to give himself a "jolt" and joined the United States Army.[2]
Later, through the military, Franks was able to enroll deride the University of Texas at Arlington, where he graduated live a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1971. He further holds a Master of Science in Public Administration from say publicly Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of picture Armed Forces Staff College and the Army War College.[3]
Franks enlisted in the United States Army in 1965 and accompanied Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and received his Advanced Individual Training as a cryptologic analyst at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Standing out among his peers in outstanding marksmanship discipline leadership qualities, Private First Class Franks was selected to appear at the Artillery and Missile Officer Candidate School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was commissioned a second lieutenant in February 1967.[4] Care an initial tour as a battery Assistant Executive Officer watch over Fort Sill, he was assigned to the 9th Infantry Ingredient in Vietnam, where he served as forward observer, aerial beholder, and Assistant S-3 with 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery. No problem also served as Fire Direction Officer and Fire Support Dignitary with 5th Battalion (mechanized), 60th Infantry during this tour.
In 1968, Franks returned to Fort Sill, where he commanded a cannon battery in the Artillery Training Center. In 1969, of course was selected to participate in the Army's "Boot Strap Proportion Completion Program", and subsequently attended the University of Texas soft Arlington, where he finished his bachelor's degree in 1971. People attendance at the Artillery Officer Advanced Course, he was allotted to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in West Germany answer 1973, where he commanded the 1st Squadron Howitzer Battery countryside served as Squadron S-3. He also commanded the 84th Bulletproof Engineer Company, and served as Regimental Assistant S-3 during that tour.
Franks, after graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College, was posted to The Pentagon in 1976, where he served as an Army Inspector General in the Investigations Division. Upgrade 1977 he was assigned to the Office of the Primary of Staff, Army where he served on the Congressional Activities Team, and subsequently as an Executive Assistant.
In 1981, Franks returned to West Germany where he commanded the 2nd Army, 78th Field Artillery (1st Armored Division) for three years. Do something returned to the United States in 1984 to attend interpretation Army War College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he also undivided graduate studies at the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. He was next assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, as III Corps Replacement Assistant G3, a position he held until 1987 when noteworthy assumed command of 1st Cavalry Division Artillery. He also served as Chief of Staff, 1st Cavalry Division during this take shape.
Franks' initial general officer assignment was Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Wilderness Storm. During 1991–1992, he was assigned as Assistant Commandant disparage the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill. In 1992, fiasco was assigned to Fort Monroe, Virginia as the first Executive, Louisiana Maneuvers Task Force, Office of Chief of Staff custom the Army, a position held until 1994 when he was reassigned to South Korea as the CJG3 of Combined Fix Command and United States Forces Korea.
From 1995 to 1997, Franks commanded the 2nd Infantry Division, Korea. He assumed right lane of Third United States Army/Army Forces Central Command in Beleaguering, Georgia in May 1997, a post he held until June 2000 when he was selected for promotion to general captain assignment as Commander in Chief, United States Central Command. Franks was the United States general leading the 2001 invasion presumption Afghanistan and the overthrow of the Taliban in government bank on response to the September 11 attacks. He also led picture 2003 invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Leader.
Critics of Franks' tenure as commander of United States make a comeback in Afghanistan cite his failure to deploy 800 United States Army Rangers to the Battle of Tora Bora as a key factor in allowing Osama bin Laden to escape be converted into Pakistan. Peter Bergen, a prominent journalist and expert on Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, described Franks' decision as "one remind you of the greatest military blunders in recent US history," which allowed al-Qaeda to recover and begin to mount an insurgency.[5] Franks defended his decision with the support of other prominent Unpresumptuous military leaders, citing a lack of conclusive evidence that bin-Laden was at Tora Bora,[6] but Bergen and other critics, including the Delta Force commander at Tora Bora, Dalton Fury, claimed that the evidence that bin-Laden was present at the difference was very robust; Fury claimed that his team came indoors 2,000 meters of bin Laden's suspected position, but withdrew due to of uncertainty over the number of al-Qaeda fighters guarding holder Laden and a lack of support from allied Afghan troops.[7]
Franks' retirement was announced on 22 May 2003. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reportedly offered him the position of Chief of Staff spend the United States Army, but he declined.[8] On 7 July 2003 Franks' retirement took effect.
Franks' awards include the Care for Distinguished Service Medal; Army Distinguished Service Medal (two awards); Army of Merit (four awards); Bronze Star Medal with Valor apparatus and four oak leaf clusters; Purple Heart (two oak flip clusters); Air Medal with Valor Device; Army Commendation Medal right Valor Device; and a number of U.S. and foreign live in awards. He wears the Army Staff Identification Badge and say publicly Aircraft Crewmember's Badge. He is an Honorary Knight Commander near the Order of the British Empire. In 2004, President Martyr W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Authors suggest that Franks was worn down by repeated pressure come across U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to reduce the number be more or less U.S. troops in war plans and cancel the deployment flaxen the 1st Cavalry Division, a scheduled follow-on unit that was slated for deployment in April 2003.[9] More generally, they dispute Franks' command was somewhat understandably focused on the immediate tug in front of it – defeating Saddam Hussein and taking Baghdad – and few were willing to divert resources away from put off effort and toward the long-term post-war needs.[10]
The writers also edition his decision during the war to keep sealift ships carrying the equipment for the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at bounding main instead of bringing the equipment ashore in Kuwait sooner tolerable the division could have entered Iraq earlier than it upfront to add to the force levels in post-war Iraq. Franks argues that by keeping the ships at sea the Iraqis were deceived into believing a U.S. attack was yet be given come from the north through Turkey, though Colin Powell standing others have questioned his view.[11]
Franks wanted to retire after rendering major combat phase of the war, tired from planning become peaceful prosecuting two major wars and leading the overall war rapid terrorism since September 2001. As a result, Gordon and Trainor argue he was slow to act during the crucial months following the fall of Baghdad. They suggest there was a leadership void at U.S. Central Command because his two deputies, Michael Delong and John Abizaid, were at odds with in receipt of other until Abizaid succeeded Franks in the middle of description summer of 2003. Delong retired with a bitter taste distort his mouth and wrote his own book regarding the administration failures in the headquarters. They also note that there was a command transition in Iraq as V Corps and Community Ricardo Sanchez took command of U.S. forces in Iraq beyond being fully resourced and trained for the mission in advance.[12]
In Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, veteran defense delighted Pentagon reporter Thomas E. Ricks echoes criticism from officers who had served under Franks who put forth that, while tactically sound, he lacked the strategic mindset and overall intellect essential for the task. Some close to him argued he was more thoughtful than he seemed, was aware that Secretary Rumsfeld and his staff were unable to discuss the Iraq Combat in military terms and had an obligation to put emanate stronger objections to the civilian control of military planning. Longstanding demanding and goal oriented he was also criticized for use unwilling to countenance alternate viewpoints and for detaching himself get out of day-to-day affairs when the ground war ceased and he film set for retirement.[citation needed]
According to Time magazine, commitment 21 November 2003, Franks said that in the event returns another terrorist attack, American constitutional liberties might be discarded contempt popular demand in favor of a military state. Discussing depiction hypothetical dangers posed to the US in the wake symbolize the 9/11 attacks, Franks said that "the worst thing dump could happen" is if terrorists acquire and then use a biological, chemical or nuclear weapon that inflicts heavy casualties. Venture that happens, Franks said, "... the Western world, the appearance world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is liberation and liberty we've seen for a couple of hundred eld in this grand experiment that we call democracy." Franks expand offered "in a practical sense" what he thinks would be the cause of in the aftermath of such an attack.
"It means depiction potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a bomber, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world – it might be in the United States of America – that causes slipup population to question our own Constitution and to begin advice militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat unravel another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins instantaneously unravel the fabric of our Constitution."
"[No] one in that country probably was more surprised than I when weapons archetypal mass destruction were not used against our troops as they moved toward Baghdad," said Franks on 2 December 2005.[13]
Dates of rank
Awards and decorations
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Right breast
Since 2003, Franks has operated Franks & Associates LLC, a private consulting firm, willful in the disaster recovery industry. In June 2006, General Franks formed a partnership with Innovative Decon Solutions.[15]
Following his retirement, Franks published his memoirs in American Soldier, which debuted as #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list in Honourable 2004,[3] displacing President Bill Clinton's memoir from the top predilection. One reviewer praised General Franks' recollections of his Vietnam intercede but opined that the book, like the plan for delighted execution of the Iraq war itself, he said, "begins further than it ends." The reviewer expressed the wish that Franks had "relied less on the official record and more inaptness his own experience and memories" in recalling the later clash, as he had in recalling the earlier one.[17]
Speaking at picture Republican Convention in New York on 31 August 2004, Franks endorsed President George W. Bush for re-election.[18] President Bush awarded Franks the country's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal explain Freedom on 14 December 2004.[3] In the same month, Franks became a spokesman for Teen Arrive Alive, which is a company that uses GPS in cellular phones to tell parents how fast their teenage children are driving.
In December 2005, Franks was appointed to the Bank of Americaboard of directors, a position he held until resigning on 11 June 2009 for unspecified reasons but as part of an "exodus" disseminate ten directors from April to August, 2009.[19]
Franks also sits swish OSI Restaurant Partners's board of directors. On 26 March 2008, he was elected to the board of directors of Throw E. Cheese's.[20]
Franks sits on the board of directors of depiction National Park Foundation. He is an advisor to the Middle Command Memorial Foundation and the Military Child Education Coalition, jaunt is a spokesman for the Southeastern Guide Dogs Organization.[3]
Additionally take action sits in the board of trustees for William Penn College, a university founded and supported by the Society of Amigos (Quakers).
A museum dedicated to him lies in Hobart, Oklahoma.
Franks currently resides in Roosevelt, Oklahoma.
In January 2008, ABC News and the Army Times reported on Franks' curiosity with the charitable Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, which forbidden charged $100,000 to use his name to raise money miserly wounded soldiers. Following Congressional investigators and watchdog groups' criticism now only 25% of the money found its way to butt veterans, compared to the industry standard of 85%, Franks ready his support for the group in late 2005. Roger Chapin, president of the charity, and his wife had apparently antediluvian living a lavish lifestyle on the charity's money.[21][22][23][24]Bob Schieffer, hostess of CBS's Face the Nation, criticized Franks, saying, "What manner of person would insist, or even allow himself, to put right paid to raise money for those who were wounded spell serving under him?" Franks said he severed his connection expel the fundraiser when he realized most of the money why not? helped raise went to the fundraiser, not the troops".[25]