Barry McCaffrey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry McCaffrey
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Official portrait, 1994
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| Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy | |
| In office 29 February 1996 – 20 January 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Lee Brown |
| Succeeded by | Ed Jurith (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Barry Richard McCaffrey
17 November 1942 Taunton, Massachusetts, United States |
| Spouse | Jill Ann Faulkner |
| Relatives | William J. McCaffrey (father) |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) American University (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1964–1996 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | United States Southern Command 24th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War Gulf War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (2) Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal (4) Purple Heart (3) |
Barry Richard McCaffrey (born 17 November 1942) is a retired United States Army general and current news commentator, professor and business consultant who served in President Bill Clinton's Cabinet as the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He received three Purple Heart medals for injuries sustained during his service in the Vietnam War, two Silver Stars, and two Distinguished Service Crosses—the second-highest United States Army award for valor. He was inducted into United States Army Ranger Hall of Fame at the United States Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning in 2007.
McCaffrey served as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy and was its Bradley Professor of International Security Studies from 2001 to 2008. He received West Point Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy's Distinguished Graduate Award in 2010. He is currently a paid military analyst for NBC and MSNBC as well as president of his own consulting firm, BR McCaffrey Associates. He serves on many boards of directors of national corporations. He is an outspoken advocate for insurance parity, for drug courts, and veterans' courts; he is a frequent speaker at conferences. In March 2018 he claimed that United States president Donald Trump was under the sway of Russian President Vladimir Putin and that it was a dangerous threat for the security of the United States.
Early life and education
McCaffrey graduated from Phillips Academy in 1960 and the United States Military Academy in 1964. He received a Master of Arts in civil government from American University in 1970 and attended Harvard University's National Security Program and Business School Executive Education Program. While on active duty McCaffrey attended the United States Army War College, the Command and General Staff College, the Defense Language Institute's program in Vietnamese, and the Armor School Advanced Course.
Military career
Following his graduation from West Point, McCaffrey was commissioned into the infantry. His combat tours included action in the Dominican Republic with 82nd Airborne Division in 1965, advisory duty with Army of the Republic of Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, and company command with 1st Cavalry Division from 1968 to 1969. During the course of his service, he was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart three times for wounds sustained in combat, and the Silver Star twice.
McCaffrey's peacetime assignments included tours as an instructor at United States Military Academy from 1972 to 1975, Assistant Commandant at the United States Army Infantry School; Deputy United States Representative to NATO; Assistant to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS); and Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"Left Hook" attack
During Operation Desert Storm, McCaffrey commanded the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Under his command, the division conducted the "left hook" attack 230 miles (370 km) into Iraq, leading to decisive battle victory in the Gulf War and also putting troops in place for the final battle of the war.
