Brent Scowcroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brent Scowcroft
|
|
|---|---|
Scowcroft in 1973
|
|
| Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board | |
| In office October 5, 2001 – February 25, 2005 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Warren Rudman |
| Succeeded by | Jim Langdon |
| Chair of the Intelligence Oversight Board | |
| In office January 20, 1993 – May 26, 1994 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | James R. Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Anthony S. Harrington |
| 8th and 16th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
|
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Colin Powell |
| Succeeded by | Tony Lake |
| In office November 3, 1975 – January 20, 1977 |
|
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Henry Kissinger |
| Succeeded by | Zbigniew Brzezinski |
| United States Deputy National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 4, 1973 – November 3, 1975 |
|
| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Alexander Haig |
| Succeeded by | William G. Hyland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 19, 1925 Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | August 6, 2020 (aged 95) Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Marion Horner
(m. 1951; died 1995) |
| Children | 1 daughter |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) Columbia University (MA, PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1947–1975 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant general |
Brent Scowcroft (March 19, 1925 – August 6, 2020) was an important figure in American government. He was an officer in the United States Air Force and served as the National Security Advisor to two U.S. Presidents. He worked for Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush. He also helped President Richard Nixon and advised President Barack Obama.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brent Scowcroft was born on March 19, 1925, in Ogden, Utah. His parents were Lucile and James Scowcroft. His family came from different countries like England, Scotland, Denmark, and Norway. He also had ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, seeing it as part of his family's history and culture.
He went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. In 1947, he earned his degree and became an officer in the United States Army Air Forces. When the United States Air Force was created later that year, he joined it. Scowcroft continued his studies at Columbia University. He earned a master's degree (MA) in 1953 and a doctorate (PhD) in 1967. Both degrees were in international relations, which is the study of how countries interact.
A Career in Public Service
Brent Scowcroft first wanted to be a fighter pilot after World War II. He finished his pilot training in 1948. However, in 1949, his plane crashed during a training flight. He was not badly hurt, but he thought he might not fly again. This led him to consider other roles in the Air Force.
From 1948 to 1953, he worked in various Air Force jobs. He also served at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which is a group of top military leaders. He worked at the Air Force headquarters and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. He also taught at the United States Air Force Academy and the United States Military Academy. He even worked at the American Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, helping with military matters.
In 1972, Scowcroft became the Military Assistant to President Nixon. A year later, he became the Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1974. He retired from active military duty in 1975. Soon after, he became the United States National Security Advisor for the first time, working for President Gerald Ford.
His military awards included the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
Scowcroft had a long working relationship with Henry Kissinger, who was also a National Security Advisor. Before joining the Bush administration, Scowcroft was a leader at Kissinger Associates, a business consulting firm.
He was known as a respected expert in foreign policy. He led and served on many important groups that advised presidents. These included committees on arms control and defense management. He also helped investigate the Iran–Contra affair.
On September 11, 2001, when the terrorist attacks happened, Scowcroft was on a special Air Force plane called an E-4B. This plane is used as a command center during emergencies. He was observing how President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney managed the crisis.
Scowcroft founded and led The Forum for International Policy, a group that studies global issues. He also led The Scowcroft Group, a company that advises businesses around the world. He was a member of several important organizations focused on international relations.
Scowcroft was a Republican who openly disagreed with the U.S. policy toward Iraq before and after the 2003 invasion. He believed the war was not going well and that the U.S. approach was hurting relationships with Europe. However, he also felt it was important not to leave Iraq too quickly. He supported the invasion of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.
In 1991, President George H. W. Bush gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the U.S. In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II made him an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
In 1998, he co-wrote a book called A World Transformed with George H. W. Bush. The book described their experiences in the White House during the end of the Cold War. They explained why they decided not to invade Baghdad in 1991. In 1994, Scowcroft also wrote an article urging President Bill Clinton to consider a strike on North Korea's nuclear site if they didn't allow inspectors.
He also had conversations about foreign policy with Zbigniew Brzezinski, which were published in a 2008 book. In 2016, he supported Hillary Clinton for president.
The Scowcroft Award
Brent Scowcroft was the inspiration for a funny award started by President George H. W. Bush. This award was given to the person who "most obviously falls asleep in a meeting with the president." President Bush would judge candidates on how long and deeply they slept, and how they woke up. Scowcroft was known for falling asleep in meetings, and it became a running joke.
Personal Life
Scowcroft married Marian Horner in 1951. They had one daughter, Karen Scowcroft. Marian, who was a nurse, passed away in 1995.
In 1993, when Scowcroft received his honorary award from Queen Elizabeth II, his daughter Karen was also there to meet the Queen.
Death
Brent Scowcroft died at his home in Falls Church, Virginia, on August 6, 2020, at the age of 95. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in 2021.
Honors
-
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf cluster
-
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Presidential Medal of Freedom (1991)
Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2016)
Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Military version (KBE) (1993)
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 3rd Class (2006)
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2009)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2016)
.svg){kind=small}
_Ribbon.png){kind=small}
Honorary Degrees
| Location | Date | School | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
 District of Columbia |
1989 | George Washington University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
 Utah |
April 24, 1992 | Brigham Young University | Doctor of Public Service (DPS) |
 Virginia |
2000 | College of William & Mary | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) |
 New York |
May 18, 2005 | Columbia University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| Utah |
December 10, 2010 | Weber State University | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) |
Images for kids
-
Scowcroft with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
See also
In Spanish: Brent Scowcroft para niños
