31 Facts About Tommy Franks

Tommy Ray Franks was born on 17 June 1945 and is a retired United States Army general.

Tommy Franks was the United States general leading the attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan in response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in 2001.

Tommy Franks oversaw the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Tommy Franks attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a brother of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity.

Tommy Franks dropped out of college after two years due to subpar grades and lack of motivation.

Tommy Franks decided to give himself a "jolt" and joined the United States Army.

Later, through the military, Tommy Franks was able to enroll at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1971.

Tommy Franks holds a Master of Science in Public Administration from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and the Army War College.

Tommy Franks enlisted in the United States Army in 1965 and attended Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and received his Advanced Individual Training as a cryptologic analyst at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

Tommy Franks served as Fire Direction Officer and Fire Support Officer with 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry during this tour.

In 1968, Tommy Franks returned to Fort Sill, where he commanded a cannon battery in the Artillery Training Center.

Tommy Franks commanded the 84th Armored Engineer Company, and served as Regimental Assistant S-3 during this tour.

Tommy Franks, after graduating from the Armed Forces Staff College, was posted to The Pentagon in 1976, where he served as an Army Inspector General in the Investigations Division.

In 1981, Tommy Franks returned to West Germany where he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 78th Field Artillery for three years.

Tommy Franks returned to the United States in 1984 to attend the Army War College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he completed graduate studies at the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Tommy Franks was next assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, as III Corps Deputy Assistant G3, a position he held until 1987 when he assumed command of 1st Cavalry Division Artillery.

Tommy Franks served as Chief of Staff, 1st Cavalry Division during this tour.

From 1995 to 1997, Tommy Franks commanded the 2nd Infantry Division, Korea.

Tommy Franks was the United States general leading the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the overthrow of the Taliban in government in response to the September 11 attacks.

Tommy Franks led the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Tommy Franks's awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Army Distinguished Service Medal ; Legion of Merit ; Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and four oak leaf clusters; Purple Heart ; Air Medal with Valor Device; Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device; and a number of US and foreign service awards.

Tommy Franks wears the Army Staff Identification Badge and the Aircraft Crewmember's Badge.

Tommy Franks is an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Authors suggest that Tommy Franks was worn down by repeated pressure from US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to reduce the number of US troops in war plans and cancel the deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division, a scheduled follow-on unit that was slated for deployment in April 2003.

Tommy Franks argues that by keeping the ships at sea the Iraqis were deceived into believing a US attack was yet to come from the north through Turkey, though Colin Powell and others have questioned his view.

Tommy Franks wanted to retire after the major combat phase of the war, tired from planning and prosecuting two major wars and leading the overall war on terrorism since September 2001.

In Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, veteran defense and Pentagon reporter Thomas E Ricks echoes criticism from officers who had served under Franks who put forth that, while tactically sound, he lacked the strategic mindset and overall intellect necessary for the task.

In June 2006, General Tommy Franks formed a partnership with Innovative Decon Solutions.

In December 2005, Tommy Franks was appointed to the Bank of America board of directors, a position he held until resigning on 11 June 2009 for unspecified reasons but as part of an "exodus" of ten directors from April to August 2009.

Tommy Franks sits on the board of directors of the National Park Foundation.

Tommy Franks is an advisor to the Central Command Memorial Foundation and the Military Child Education Coalition, and is a spokesman for the Southeastern Guide Dogs Organization.