1. Rick Francona was born on 31 August 1951 and is an author, commentator and media military analyst.
15 Facts About Rick Francona
1. 2.
Rick Francona is a retired United States Air Force intelligence officer with experience in the Middle East, including tours of duty with the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency.
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Rick Francona was under contract to NBC News and appeared regularly on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC, as well as Radio Canada and other media.
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Rick Francona has a bachelor's degree from Chapman College in Government and the Arabic language, and a master's degree from Troy State University in International Relations with a concentration in Middle East studies.
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Rick Francona is a cousin of the current Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona.
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Rick Francona enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1970, and served as a Vietnamese linguist until 1973, conducting combat aerial reconnaissance missions over Vietnam and Laos in a variety of strategic and tactical aircraft.
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Rick Francona worked an observer of Iraqi combat operations against Iranian forces, and flew sorties with the Iraqi Air Force.
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Rick Francona's observations were key to the discovery of Iraqi chemical weapons capabilities and ballistic missile modifications.
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Immediately following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and through the Gulf War, Rick Francona was deployed to the Gulf as an interpreter and advisor on Iraqi armed forces to commander in chief of the US Central Command, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.
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From 1995 to 1996, Rick Francona served with the Central Intelligence Agency, and participated in a variety of sensitive operations in the Middle East.
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Rick Francona was later awarded the CIA Bronze Seal Medallion for his service to the CIA.
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Rick Francona returned to the United States and retired from active duty in 1998.
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Rick Francona is a media analyst on Middle East political-military events, formerly under contract to NBC News and appeared regularly on NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, MSNBC, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Scarborough Country, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and others.
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Rick Francona writes articles for MSNBC, the Council on Foreign Relations, and his blog at Middle East Perspectives.
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Rick Francona frequently speaks to conventions and public service audiences.