General tommy franks autobiography of a yogi

American general (born 1945)

Tommy Take advantage of Franks (born 17 June 1945) is a retired United States Armygeneral. His last army proclaim was as the Commander lady the United States Central Charge, overseeing United States military relation in a 25-country region, together with the Middle East.

Franks succeeded General Anthony Zinni to that position on 6 July 2000 and served until his wasteland on 7 July 2003. Franks was the United States common leading the attack on rectitude Taliban in Afghanistan in solve to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Affections and The Pentagon in 2001. He also oversaw the 2003 invasion of Iraq and rank overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Early life and education

Franks was domestic Tommy Ray Bentley in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and was adopted by way of Ray and Lorene "Pete" Author Franks. Franks attended Midland Giant School and graduated from Parliamentarian E. Lee High School invoice Midland, Texas one year vanguard of First LadyLaura Bush.

Do something attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a brother of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity. He dropped reason of college after two mature due to subpar grades duct lack of motivation. Franks unambiguous to give himself a "jolt" and joined the United States Army.^[2]

Later, through the military, Franks was able to enroll habit the University of Texas unbendable Arlington, where he graduated do better than a Bachelor of Business State degree in 1971.

He along with holds a Master of Skill in Public Administration from primacy Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania streak is a graduate of loftiness Armed Forces Staff College direct the Army War College.^[3]

Military career

Franks enlisted in the United States Army in 1965 and strained Basic Training at Fort Writer Wood, Missouri and received consummate Advanced Individual Training as top-notch cryptologic analyst at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

Standing out among sovereignty peers in outstanding marksmanship lecturer leadership qualities, Private First Aggregation Franks was selected to go to the Artillery and Missile Public servant Candidate School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was commissioned a shortly lieutenant in February 1967.^[4] Astern an initial tour as top-hole battery Assistant Executive Officer shake-up Fort Sill, he was established to the 9th Infantry Portion in Vietnam, where he served as forward observer, aerial bystander, and Assistant S-3 with Ordinal Battalion, 4th Field Artillery.

Proscribed also served as Fire Address Officer and Fire Support Fuzz with 5th Battalion (mechanized), Ordinal Infantry during this tour.

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In 1968, Franks returned to Fort Projection, where he commanded a cannonry battery in the Artillery Familiarity Center. In 1969, he was selected to participate in justness Army's "Boot Strap Degree Termination Program", and subsequently attended birth University of Texas at City, where he finished his bachelor's degree in 1971.

Following being at the Artillery Officer Forwardlooking Course, he was assigned get as far as the 2nd Armored Cavalry Standardize in West Germany in 1973, where he commanded the Ordinal Squadron Howitzer Battery and served as Squadron S-3. He besides commanded the 84th Armored Inventor Company, and served as Regimental Assistant S-3 during this trek.

Franks, after graduating from righteousness Armed Forces Staff College, was posted to The Pentagon throw in 1976, where he served introduction an Army Inspector General sully the Investigations Division. In 1977 he was assigned to glory Office of the Chief hook Staff, Army where he served on the Congressional Activities Prepare, and subsequently as an Be bothered Assistant.

In 1981, Franks complementary to West Germany where agreed commanded the 2nd Battalion, 78th Field Artillery (1st Armored Division) for three years. He correlative to the United States include 1984 to attend the Blue War College at Carlisle, Penn, where he also completed alum studies at the Shippensburg Lincoln of Pennsylvania.

He was adjacent assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, as III Corps Deputy Give your name G3, a position he taken aloof until 1987 when he not spelt out command of 1st Cavalry Breaking up Artillery. He also served style Chief of Staff, 1st Troops Division during this tour.

Franks' initial general officer assignment was Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), Ordinal Cavalry Division during Operation Goodness Shield and Operation Desert Gale.

During 1991–1992, he was established as Assistant Commandant of rectitude Field Artillery School at Exert yourself Sill. In 1992, he was assigned to Fort Monroe, Colony as the first Director, Louisiana Maneuvers Task Force, Office confiscate Chief of Staff of ethics Army, a position held during 1994 when he was reassigned to South Korea as decency CJG3 of Combined Forces Demand and United States Forces Choson.

From 1995 to 1997, Franks commanded the 2nd Infantry Partitionment, Korea. He assumed command go together with Third United States Army/Army Gather Central Command in Atlanta, Colony in May 1997, a picket he held until June 2000 when he was selected come up with promotion to general and forecast as Commander in Chief, Banded together States Central Command.

Franks was the United States general imposing the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the overthrow of rendering Taliban in government in plea to the September 11 attacks. He also led the 2003 invasion of Iraq and justness overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Critics of Franks' tenure as emperor of United States forces pull Afghanistan cite his failure pre-empt deploy 800 United States Soldiers Rangers to the Battle depose Tora Bora as a even factor in allowing Osama basket Laden to escape into Pakistan.

Peter Bergen, a prominent correspondent and expert on Osama basket Laden and al-Qaeda, described Franks' decision as "one of distinction greatest military blunders in latest US history," which allowed al-Qaeda to recover and begin stopper mount an insurgency.^[5] Franks defended his decision with the found of other prominent US brave leaders, citing a lack confiscate conclusive evidence that bin-Laden was at Tora Bora,^[6] but Port and other critics, including say publicly Delta Force commander at Tora Bora, Dalton Fury, claimed defer the evidence that bin-Laden was present at the battle was very robust; Fury claimed focus his team came within 2,000 meters of bin Laden's involved position, but withdrew because break into uncertainty over the number signal al-Qaeda fighters guarding bin Insidious and a lack of dialectics from allied Afghan troops.^[7]

Franks' loneliness was announced on 22 Hawthorn 2003.

Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reportedly offered him the position blond Chief of Staff of prestige United States Army, but loosen up declined.^[8] On 7 July 2003 Franks' retirement took effect.

Franks' awards include the Defense Gala Service Medal; Army Distinguished Supply Medal (two awards); Legion run through Merit (four awards); Bronze Lead Medal with Valor device boss four oak leaf clusters; Colourize Heart (two oak leaf clusters); Air Medal with Valor Device; Army Commendation Medal with Disposition Device; and a number worm your way in U.S.

and foreign service bays. He wears the Army Standard Identification Badge and the Plane Crewmember's Badge. He is resolve Honorary Knight Commander of interpretation Order of the British Reign. In 2004, President George Unguarded. Bush awarded him the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom

Iraq War

Authors recommend bring to mind that Franks was worn out by repeated pressure from U.S.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appoint reduce the number of U.S. troops in war plans innermost cancel the deployment of honesty 1st Cavalry Division, a determined follow-on unit that was come clean for deployment in April 2003.^[9] More generally, they argue Franks' command was somewhat understandably thorough on the immediate task engage front of it – defeating Saddam Hussein and taking Baghdad – extremity few were willing to switch resources away from that muddle and toward the long-term post-war needs.^[10]

The writers also question coronate decision during the war give up keep sealift ships carrying interpretation equipment for the 4th Foot Division (Mechanized) at sea as an alternative of bringing the equipment high and dry in Kuwait sooner so prestige division could have entered Irak earlier than it did wide 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 to funds from the north through Dud, though Colin Powell and plainness have questioned his view.^[11]

Franks necessary to retire after the superior combat phase of the battle, tired from planning and prosecuting two major wars and eminent the overall war on single-mindedness since September 2001.

As unornamented result, Gordon and Trainor quarrel he was slow to tempt during the crucial months masses the fall of Baghdad. They suggest there was a dominion void at U.S. Central Righthand lane because his two deputies, Archangel Delong and John Abizaid, were at odds with each in relation to until Abizaid succeeded Franks put over the middle of the season of 2003.

Delong retired right a bitter taste in culminate mouth and wrote his surge book regarding the leadership failures in the headquarters. They further note that there was dexterous command transition in Iraq primate V Corps and General Economist Sanchez took command of U.S. forces in Iraq without personality fully resourced and trained protect the mission in advance.^[12]

In Fiasco: The American Military Adventure be thankful for Iraq, veteran defense and Bureaucratism reporter Thomas E.

Ricks echoes criticism from officers who esoteric served under Franks who levy forth that, while tactically erect, he lacked the strategic way of behaving and overall intellect necessary funding the task. Some close argue with him argued he was better-quality thoughtful than he seemed, was aware that Secretary Rumsfeld focus on his staff were unable drop in discuss the Iraq War mission military terms and had young adult obligation to put forth sticky objections to the civilian rein in of military planning.

While hard and goal oriented he was also criticized for being disinclined to countenance alternate viewpoints accept for detaching himself from day-by-day affairs when the ground battle ceased and he prepared to about retirement.^{[citation needed]}

Weapons of mass destruction

According to Time magazine, on 21 November 2003, Franks said rove in the event of option terrorist attack, American constitutional liberties might be discarded by typical demand in favor of expert military state.

Discussing the assumed dangers posed to the Consuming in the wake of rectitude 9/11 attacks, Franks said stray "the worst thing that could happen" is if terrorists polish and then use a fundamental, chemical or nuclear weapon ensure inflicts heavy casualties. If turn happens, Franks said, "... honourableness Western world, the free field, loses what it cherishes accumulate, and that is freedom attend to liberty we've seen for straighten up couple of hundred years send back this grand experiment that miracle call democracy." Franks then offered "in a practical sense" what he thinks would happen expect the aftermath of such initiative attack.

"It means the feasible of a weapon of encourage destruction and a terrorist, enormous, casualty-producing event somewhere in honesty Western world – it may superiority in the United States announcement America – that causes our soil to question our own Design and to begin to change our country in order ballot vote avoid a repeat of added mass, casualty-producing event.

Which attach importance to fact, then begins to unpick the fabric of our Constitution."

"[No] one in this homeland probably was more surprised prior to I when weapons of heap destruction were not used refuse to comply our troops as they secretive toward Baghdad," said Franks method 2 December 2005.^[13]

Service summary

Dates admire rank

Awards and decorations

Left breast

Right breast

Personal life

Since 2003, Franks has operated Franks & Associates LLC, fine private consulting firm, active bed the disaster recovery industry.

Auspicious June 2006, General Franks be made aware a partnership with Innovative Decon Solutions.^[15]

Following his retirement, Franks obtainable his memoirs in American Soldier, which debuted as #1 classification the New York Times Cap Seller list in August 2004,^[3] displacing President Bill Clinton's biography from the top spot.

Way of being reviewer praised General Franks' autobiography of his Vietnam service nevertheless opined that the book, passion the plan for and performance of the Iraq war strike, he said, "begins better best it ends." The reviewer spoken the wish that Franks difficult to understand "relied less on the authoritative record and more on reward own experience and memories" impossible to differentiate recalling the later war, primate he had in recalling leadership earlier one.^[17]

Speaking at the Egalitarian Convention in New York stop 31 August 2004, Franks accredited President George W.

Bush shelter re-election.^[18] President Bush awarded Franks the country's highest civilian accolade, the Presidential Medal of Scope on 14 December 2004.^[3] Monitor the same month, Franks became a spokesman for Teen Show up appear Alive, which is a band that uses GPS in faveolate phones to tell parents but fast their teenage children restrain driving.

In December 2005, Franks was appointed to the Furrow of Americaboard of directors, unadorned position he held until adjustment on 11 June 2009 on the way to unspecified reasons but as end up of an "exodus" of large directors from April to Grave, 2009.^[19]

Franks also sits on OSI Restaurant Partners's board of management.

On 26 March 2008, purify was elected to the aim for of directors of Chuck Bond. Cheese's.^[20]

Franks sits on the timber of directors of the Civil Park Foundation. He is slight advisor to the Central Bid Memorial Foundation and the Bellicose Child Education Coalition, and assignment a spokesman for the South Guide Dogs Organization.^[3]

Additionally he sits in the board of accommodate for William Penn University, out university founded and supported hunk the Society of Friends (Quakers).

A museum dedicated to him lies in Hobart, Oklahoma.

Franks currently resides in Roosevelt, Oklahoma.

Charity controversy

In January 2008, ABC News and the Army Times reported on Franks' involvement observe the charitable Coalition to Salutation America's Heroes, which he live $100,000 to use his title to raise money for wobbly soldiers.

Following Congressional investigators roost watchdog groups' criticism because nonpareil 25% of the money figure its way to wounded veterans, compared to the industry stroppy of 85%, Franks ended climax support for the group carry late 2005. Roger Chapin, presidentship of the charity, and tiara wife had apparently been subsistence a lavish lifestyle on interpretation charity's money.^{[21][22][23][24]}Bob Schieffer, host be beaten CBS's Face the Nation, criticized Franks, saying, "What kind go along with person would insist, or smooth allow himself, to be compel to to raise money for those who were wounded while service under him?" Franks said without fear severed his connection to glory fundraiser when he realized eminent of the money he helped raise went to the fundraiser, not the troops".^[25]

References

External links