Eric Shinseki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Shinseki
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2009
|
|
| 7th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |
| In office 21 January 2009 – 30 May 2014 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | W. Scott Gould Sloan D. Gibson |
| Preceded by | James Peake |
| Succeeded by | Bob McDonald |
| 34th Chief of Staff of the United States Army | |
| In office 21 June 1999 – 11 June 2003 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Dennis Reimer |
| Succeeded by | Peter Schoomaker |
| 28th Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army | |
| In office 24 November 1998 – June 21, 1999 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | William W. Crouch |
| Succeeded by | Jack Keane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 November 1942 Lihue, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Spouse | Patricia Shinseki |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) Duke University (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1965–2003 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Chief of Staff of the United States Army Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army Seventh United States Army Allied Land Forces Central Europe NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1st Cavalry Division 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War Bosnian War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (3) Purple Heart (2) |
Eric Ken Shinseki (born November 28, 1942) is a retired U.S. Army general. He served as the seventh Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2009 to 2014. Before that, he was the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army from 1999 to 2003.
Shinseki fought in the Vietnam War twice. He received three Bronze Star Medals for his bravery and two Purple Hearts for injuries he got in combat. He was the first Asian American to become a four-star general in the U.S. Army. He was also the first Asian American to serve as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Eric Shinseki was born in Lihue, on the island of Kauaʻi. At that time, Hawaii was a U.S. territory. His family had Japanese roots; his grandparents moved to Hawaii from Hiroshima, Japan, in 1901.
He grew up in a community on Kauaʻi where sugarcane was grown. He graduated from Kauaʻi High and Intermediate School in 1960. While in high school, he was active in the Boy Scouts and was his class president.
Shinseki learned that three of his uncles had served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment. This was a special unit of Japanese American soldiers that became one of the most decorated fighting units in U.S. history during World War II. Inspired by his uncles, he decided to join the military.
He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1965, he graduated with a science degree and became a second lieutenant. Later, in 1974, he earned a master's degree in English Literature from Duke University. He also studied at other important military colleges.
Military Career and Service
.jpg)
Shinseki served in many different roles in the U.S. and overseas. He had two combat tours in the Vietnam War. During these tours, he was an artillery forward observer and led a cavalry troop.
During one of his tours, he stepped on a land mine. This caused a serious injury to his foot. He spent almost a year recovering, but he returned to active duty in 1971. This showed his strong dedication to service.
Shinseki also taught English at the U.S. Military Academy. He served in various leadership positions in Europe, including commanding the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, and the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.
From 1994 to 1995, Shinseki commanded the 1st Cavalry Division in Texas. In 1996, he was promoted to lieutenant general. In 1997, he became a general. He then commanded the Seventh United States Army and the NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 1998, Shinseki became the Army's 28th Vice Chief of Staff. The next year, in 1999, he became the 34th Chief of Staff. He was the last Vietnam War veteran to hold this important position. He retired from the Army in 2003 after 38 years of service.
Eric Shinseki was the highest-ranked Asian American military officer in U.S. history as of 2009. He was also the highest-ranked Japanese American to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces as of 2004.
Leading the Army as Chief of Staff
As the Army Chief of Staff, Shinseki started new plans to make the Army better. He wanted the Army to be able to move troops more quickly and easily, especially in cities. He created special teams called "Stryker Interim-Force Brigade Combat Teams." He also had a big plan for the Army's future called "Objective Force."
One of his well-known decisions was to have all Army personnel wear the black beret. Before this, only the U.S. Army Rangers wore black berets. After Shinseki's decision, the Rangers started wearing a tan beret instead.
Shinseki also had a public disagreement with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. This happened when they were planning for the war in Iraq. Shinseki believed that "several hundred thousand soldiers" would be needed to keep peace in Iraq after the war. This was a much higher number than what Secretary Rumsfeld was planning. Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, disagreed strongly with Shinseki's estimate.
Later, when problems arose in Iraq, many people pointed back to Shinseki's comments. They felt that the U.S. had sent too few troops to Iraq, just as Shinseki had warned. In 2006, another general, John Abizaid, agreed that Shinseki had been right about needing more troops.
Serving Veterans as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
On December 7, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced that he would choose Eric Shinseki to be the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. This meant Shinseki would lead the government department that helps military veterans.
The United States Senate approved his nomination unanimously on January 20, 2009. He was sworn into office the next day. He served in this role until May 2014.
Family Life
Eric Shinseki is married to his high school sweetheart, Patricia. They have two children, Lori and Ken. They also have seven grandchildren.
Awards and Honors
Shinseki received many awards and honors for his long and brave service in the military. Some of his most notable awards include:
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal (twice)
- Army Distinguished Service Medal (twice)
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
- Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit (twice)
- Bronze Star (three times, with a "V" Device for valor)
- Purple Heart (twice, for combat injuries)
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- NATO Medal
He also earned special badges like the Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab, which show he completed difficult training.
See also
In Spanish: Eric Shinseki para niños
