Tremendous news! General Anthony Zinni, whose biography follows, will be our lead speaker at the upcoming Fourth National Security Symposium. The event will take place during Reunion 2012 and is sure to be a big hit.
Here is General Zinni's impressive biography:
General Anthony C. Zinni who served
from August 1997 to September 2000 as the Commander in Chief, United States
Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, retired at the conclusion of
his tour of duty.
Born on 17 September 1943, General
Zinni was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1965 upon graduation from
Villanova University. After completion of The Basic School he was assigned to
the 2d Marine Division, where he served as a Platoon Commander, Company
Executive Officer, and Company Commander in the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. He
also served as a company commander in the 1st Infantry Training Regiment during
this tour.
In 1967, General Zinni was assigned as
an Infantry Battalion Advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Corps. Following
Vietnam, he was ordered to the Basic School where he served as a tactics
instructor, platoon commander, and company executive officer. In 1970, he
returned to Vietnam as a company commander in 1st Battalion, 5th Marines where
he was wounded, evacuated, and subsequently assigned to the 3d Force Service
Regiment on Okinawa. There he served as a company commander and guard officer.
General Zinni returned to the 2d Marine Division in 1971 where he served as a
company commander in the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Aide to the Commanding
General, and Officer in Charge of the Infantry Training Center. In 1974, he was
assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, where he was assigned as the
Retention and Release Officer and Plans Officer in the Officer Assignment
Branch of the Manpower Department.
General Zinni again served in the 2d
Marine Division in 1978, as the Operations Officer of the 3d Battalion, 2d
Marines, Executive Officer of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Executive Officer
of the 8th Marines and Commanding Officer of the 2d Battalion, 8th Marines. In
1981, he was assigned as an operations and tactics instructor at the Marine
Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, Virginia. He was next assigned to
the Operations Division at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps where he served as
the Head of the Special Operations and Terrorism Counteraction Section and as
the Head, Marine Air-Ground Task Force Concepts and Capabilities Branch. During
1986, he was selected as a fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic
Studies Group. From 1987 to 1989, General Zinni served on Okinawa as the
Regimental Commander of the 9th Marines and the Commanding Officer of the 35th
Marine Expeditionary Unit, which was twice deployed to the Philippines to
conduct emergency security operations and disaster relief operations. Upon his
return to the U.S. he was assigned as the Chief of Staff of the Marine
Air-Ground Training and Education Center at Quantico.
His initial general officer assignment
was as the Deputy Director of Operations at the U.S. European Command. In 1991,
he served as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commanding General of Combined Task
Force PROVIDE COMFORT during the Kurdish relief effort in Turkey and Iraq. He
also served as the Military Coordinator for Operation PROVIDE HOPE, the relief
effort for the former Soviet Union. During 1992-93, he served as the Director
for Operations for the Unified Task Force Somalia for Operation RESTORE HOPE.
Also in 1993, he served as the Assistant to the U.S. Special Envoy to Somalia
during Operation CONTINUE HOPE. General Zinni was assigned as the Deputy
Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico,
Virginia, from 1992 to 1994.
From 1994 to 1996, he served as the
Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force. During early 1995, General
Zinni served as Commander of the Combined Task Force for Operation UNITED
SHIELD, protecting the withdrawal of U.N. forces from Somalia.
From September, 1996 until August,
1997, General Zinni served as the Deputy Commander in Chief, United States
Central Command.
He attended The Basic School, Army
Special Warfare School, Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and
Staff College, and the National War College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
Economics, a master of arts degree in International Relations, and a master of
arts degree in Management and Supervision.
General Zinni’s decorations include:
the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; the Defense Superior Service Medal
with two oak leaf clusters; the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and gold star
in lieu of a second award; the Purple Heart; the Meritorious Service Medal with
gold star in lieu of a second award; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat
“V” and gold star in lieu of second award; Navy Achievement Medal with gold
star in lieu of a second award; the Combat Action Ribbon; the Vietnamese Honor
Medal; the French National Order of Merit; and the Order of Merit of the
Italian Republic.
