Walter L. Sharp

Last updated
Walter L. Sharp
Walter L Sharp Official Portrait.jpg
General Walter L. Sharp, USA
Nickname(s)Skip
Born (1952-09-27) September 27, 1952 (age 70)
Morgantown, West Virginia
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
Service/branchFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
Years of service1974–2011
Rank US-O10 insignia.svg General
Commands held United Nations Command
ROK-US Combined Forces Command
U.S. Forces Korea
3rd Infantry Division
2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
Battles/wars Operation Desert Shield
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Uphold Democracy
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star

Walter Lawrence "Skip" Sharp [1] (born September 27, 1952), [2] is a retired United States Army four-star general, who last served as the Commander, United Nations Command, Commander, ROK-US Combined Forces Command and Commander, U.S. Forces Korea from June 3, 2008 to July 14, 2011. He previously served as the Director of the Joint Staff from 2005 to June 2008. Sharp retired from the Army in July 2011.

Contents

Biography

General Sharp was born in Morgantown, West Virginia while his father was fighting in the Korean War. As a child he moved among many cavalry posts until he went to the United States Military Academy in 1970. General Sharp graduated from West Point in 1974 and was commissioned an Armor officer. In his class were three other future four-star generals, David Petraeus, Martin Dempsey and Keith B. Alexander. He has earned a Master of Science degree in Operations Research and System Analysis from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and is a graduate of the Armor Basic Course, the Field Artillery Advanced Course, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

General Sharp’s command positions include Armor Company Commander with 1st Battalion, 67th Armor, 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas; Squadron Commander 1st Squadron, 7th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood Texas; Regimental Commander 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, Louisiana; Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea; and Division Commander, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. He commanded troops in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and SFOR’s Multinational Division (North) in Bosnia.

General Sharp has served in the Directorate of Combat Developments at Fort Knox, Kentucky, the Armor/Anti-Armor Special Task Force, and the Armored System Modernization Office at the Pentagon. He has had four assignments at the Pentagon on the Joint Staff. He was the Deputy Director, J5 for Western Hemisphere/Global Transnational Issues; the Vice Director, J8 for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment; the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J5; and the Director of the Joint Staff.

General Sharp is married to the former Joanne R. Caporaso of Brooklyn, New York and they have three children.

Decorations, medals and badges

United States Air Force Parachutist Badge.svg Basic Parachutist Badge (United States)
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png Army Staff Identification Badge
1st Cavalry Division SSI (full color).svg 1st Cavalry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
Insignia USA Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment V2.svg 2nd Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg
Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with one bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg
Army Distinguished Service Medal (with one bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
Defense Superior Service Medal (with one bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg Legion of Merit
Bronze Star ribbon.svg Bronze Star
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg Army Achievement Medal
United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg Presidential Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal (with two bronze Service Stars)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 2 Service Stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service ribbon.svg Korea Defense Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon.svg Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg Award numeral 2.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 2
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
United Nations Medal ribbon.svg
United Nations Medal with one service star
Inter-american defense board medal ribbon.svg Inter-American Defense Board Medal
Tong-il Security Medal Ribbon.svg Order of National Security Merit, Tong-il Medal (Republic of Korea)
Cheon-Su Security Medal Ribbon.png Order of National Security Merit, Cheon-su Medal (Republic of Korea)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

See also

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References

  1. "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy". 1986.
  2. Levin, C. (2010). Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Second Session, 110th Congress: Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, U. S. Senate. DIANE Publishing Company. p. 446. ISBN   9781437914238 . Retrieved 2015-05-12.[ permanent dead link ]

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Military offices
Preceded by Commander of United Nations Command
Commander of United States Forces Korea
Commander of ROK/US Combined Forces Command

2008–2011
Succeeded by