Paul Eaton
Major General Paul Eaton is a retired United States Army General.
Family
Paul D. Eaton was born in Oklahoma. His father, Col. Norman Dale Eaton, USAF, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1949 and went on to become an Air Force pilot. He was shot down over Laos in December 1969 and was listed as missing in action for many years.[1] His remains were recovered in 2004, identified, and buried at Arlington National Cemetery in early 2007.[2]
Paul Eaton's wife, PJ, is a daughter of a Marine Corps Colonel and a former Army lieutenant who now counsels perpetrators of domestic violence. They were married in 1973. His eldest son, a University of Washington graduate, is an Arabic linguist in the 82nd Airborne Division, currently deployed to Afghanistan. His second son Josh graduated from West Point and is an infantry captain, also deployed to Afghanistan. Daughter Gina works in real estate and attends college in Florida. [3]
Education
Paul Eaton's father was listed missing in action in 1969. A year earlier Eaton had followed in his father's footsteps to West Point, graduating with the class of 1972. He is fluent in French, receiving a Master of Arts from Middlebury College in French Grammar and Civilization.[1]
Assignments
As a lieutenant and captain, Eaton served in the 4th Infantry Division and was later transferred to Germany as part of 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division ("Brigade 76"), where he served as an assistant brigade S3 (operations) officer and later was an infantry company commander. As major and lieutenant colonel Eaton was assigned to key battalion and brigade staff positions in the old 9th Infantry Division, then on the I Corps staff. As a colonel he commanded a brigade that deployed to the Balkans as part of a multinational force in the late 1990s. In 2000, he returned to the US as a brigadier general to lead the creation of the Army’s new Stryker brigades. As a major general he was assigned to Iraq as Commanding General of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), where he was in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004. General Eaton retired from the US Army on January 01, 2006. He served as an advisor to Senator Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.[2]
Awards
Eaton's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge.
VoteVets
In 2007, Eaton appeared in a political ad for VoteVets.org, similar to the ones prepared by John Batiste.[4] Eaton asserted that President Bush did not heed the advice given by his military commanders. It is also notable that the Eaton advertisement has not yet received any rebuke similar to the one given to Major General John Batiste. Eaton also appeared on the Bill Mahr show and spoke out strongly against those who launched the Iraq war.
References
External links
- For his failures, Rumsfeld must go, an article by General Eaton on the International Herald Tribune, March 20, 2006
- A Top-Down Review for the Pentagon, an article by General Eaton on the New York Times, March 19, 2006