Tommy Franks

General Franks at a press conference, 2003

Tommy Ray Franks (born June 17, 1945 in Wynnewood , Oklahoma ) is a former general in the US Army and was Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) from 2000 to 2003 . As commander of CENTCOM, he was responsible for planning and executing the invasion of Afghanistan (2001) and the Iraq war (2003) as part of the war on terror .

Military career

General Franks attended Armed Forces Staff College , US Army War College and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas and a Master of Science in Public Administration from Shippensburg University .

Interview with General Franks, 2002.

In 1967 Franks graduated from the Artillery Officer Candidate School in Fort Sill , Oklahoma and then served in various military assignments in the Vietnam War , including as a forward observer , fire support officer and assistant S3 of the US 9th Infantry Division .

After graduating from Armed Forces Staff College , he was transferred to the United States Department of Defense in 1976 , where he served as an investigator in the investigative division of the US Army Inspector General . In 1977 he was placed under the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army and worked there on the Congressional Activities Team . From 1981 to 1984 he served in West Germany and commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 78th US Field Artillery Regiment .

He took part in 1990 and 1991 as assistant division commander (maneuvers) of the 1st US Cavalry Division in the Second Gulf War. In 1992 he was the first director of the Louisiana Maneuvers Task Force in the office of the Chief of Staff of the Army . He held this post until 1994. Then he was transferred to South Korea to the command staff there.

From 1995 to 1997, Franks was the commanding general of the 2nd US Infantry Division of the 8th US Army in Korea. On May 30, 1997, he then took over command of the 3rd US Army in Atlanta, Georgia and thus also the command of the US Army Forces Central Command . In June 2000, Franks was finally promoted to general and on July 6, he was appointed commander of the US Central Command. He succeeded Anthony C. Zinni in the position.

Franks submitted his resignation on May 22, 2003. The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offered him the post the Chief of Staff of the United States Army at, but Franks refused.

Awards

Selection of decorations, sorted based on the Order of Precedence of Military Awards :

• Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3 ×)
• Army Distinguished Service Medal (2 ×)
• Legion of Merit (3 ×)
• Bronze Star (5 ×)
• Purple Heart (3 ×)
• Meritorious Service Medal (7 ×)
• Air Medal (9 ×)
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal (2 ×)
• National Defense Service Medal (2 ×)
• Vietnam Service Medal (3 ×)
• Southwest Asia Service Medal (3 ×)
• Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Publications

• Tommy Franks, Malcolm McConnell: American Soldier , ReganBooks, New York 2004, ISBN 0-06-073158-3 .
• Tommy R. Franks & Patricia S. Hollis: Deception, Firepower and Movement. Field Artillery, June 1991: pp. 31-34. Interview with Assistant Division Commander, 1st Cavalry Division.

Web links

Commons : Tommy R. Franks  - collection of images, videos and audio files