Francis J. Wiercinski | |
---|---|
Born | Pennsylvania, United States | November 19, 1956
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1979–2013 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands | United States Army Pacific United States Army, Japan 187th Infantry Regiment 6th Ranger Training Battalion |
Battles/wars | United States invasion of Panama War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Bronze Star Medal (2) |
Francis John (Frank) Wiercinski (born November 19, 1956) [1] is a retired United States Army officer who was the Commander United States Army Pacific (USARPAC). Wiercinski joined the United States Army in 1979.
On December 20, 1989, then Captain Wiercinski, Company Commander of Bravo Company, 3/75 Ranger Regiment, led his rangers during a night-time combat jump into Rio Hato, Panama during Operation Just Cause, assisting in the regiment's successful seizure of the airfield.
He was previously the Deputy Commander for Support, of the Multinational Division North, Iraq. [2] The troops under his command were responsible for a large part of Iraq, stretching from Baghdad to the Turkish border, and east and west to the borders of Iran and Syria.
During Operation Anaconda (2002), in Afghanistan, Wiercinski (then a colonel) was commander of the 187th Infantry Regiment (a. k. a. "The Rakkasans"), 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). [3]
He previously held a job as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia-Pacific Region, Cubic Global Defense before joining Raytheon in 2020 as their Vice President for Missile Defense Requirements and Capabilities. [4] [5]
Donald Henry Rumsfeld was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as secretary of defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He was both the youngest and the oldest secretary of defense. Additionally, Rumsfeld was a four-term U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1963–1969), director of the Office of Economic Opportunity (1969–1970), counselor to the president (1969–1973), the U.S. Representative to NATO (1973–1974), and the White House Chief of Staff (1974–1975). Between his terms as secretary of defense, he served as the CEO and chairman of several companies.
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The following lists events from 2014 in Afghanistan.
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