Gary E. Luck

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Gary E. Luck
General Gary Edward Luck.JPEG
Brigadier General Gary E. Luck in 1983
Born (1937-08-05) August 5, 1937 (age 84)
Alma, Michigan
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1959–1996
RankGeneral
Commands heldUnited States Combined Forces Command Korea
XVIII Airborne Corps
Joint Special Operations Command
2nd Infantry Division
Battles/warsVietnam War
Gulf War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (4)
Bronze Star Medal (3)
Purple Heart

Gary Edward Luck (born August 5, 1937)[1] is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. Following his retirement, he was a senior advisor to the United States Joint Forces Command prior to that command's inactivation. He is currently a Senior Fellow for the National Defense University in support of the Pinnacle, Capstone, and Keystone programs.

Education[]

Receiving a bachelor's degree in engineering from Kansas State University in 1959, Luck also holds a master's degree from Florida State University and a doctorate in business administration (Operations Research and Systems Analysis, a/k/a ORSA) from George Washington University. In addition, Luck has attended numerous military schools and courses, to include the Armor Basic and Advanced Officer courses, Army Aviator training, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the United States Army War College.[2]

Military career[]

Luck is a combat veteran of both the Vietnam War and the Gulf War and has held a variety of command and staff positions throughout his army career, to include: Chief of Staff, 8th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Europe; Director, Force Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, HQ Department of the Army; Assistant Division Commander, 101st Airborne Division; Commanding General, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command (1989–1990); Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; and Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm (1990–1993). His last military assignment before retiring from active duty was as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command (Korea)/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea.[3]

General Luck, then a major general, served as officer in charge of in November 1987, where members of the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command responded to a hostage taking at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.[4]

Post-military life[]

Since his retirement from the Army, Luck has served in a variety of senior advisory positions in support of the Department of Defense, overseeing exercise control during Exercise Millennium Challenge 2002, and as an advisor to then-Commander of United States Central Command, General Tommy Franks, prior to the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003. He was sent back to Iraq in early 2005 in order to investigate various areas of operation, identifying any weaknesses and reporting back to commanders at The Pentagon with a confidential assessment on what could be done to install democracy in Iraq and to set a date for the withdrawal of American and coalition forces. That same year, Luck was also the 2005 recipient of the Doughboy Award from the National Infantry Association.[5]

Awards and decorations[]

Combat Infantry Badge.svg Combat Infantryman Badge[6]
ArmyAvnBadge.png Basic Army Aviator Badge
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg Air Assault Badge
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger Tab
ViPaBa.jpg Vietnamese Parachutist Badge
United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png Army Staff Identification Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal
Valor device.svgAward numeral 1.pngAward numeral 5.png Air Medal with Valor device and bronze award numerals 15
Army Commendation Medal
Army Presidential Unit Citation
Valorous Unit Award
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Bronze star
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Silver star
 Vietnam Service Medal with five service stars
Bronze star
Bronze star
 Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Humanitarian Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 3.svg Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3
Tong-il Security Medel Ribbon.svg Order of National Security Merit, Tong-il Medal (Republic of Korea)
Bronze star
 Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal with service star (2nd class)
King Faisal Award, 2d Class Ribbon.png King Faisal Award, 2nd class
French Legion of Honour, Officer
Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)

References[]

  1. ^ http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Gary+Luck+1937#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbs=bks:1&q=Gary+E.+Luck+1937&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=f35a45cc797b8b8
  2. ^ http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/35/us-strategic-leadership-center-at-georgetown/about-the-program/faculty[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/35/us-strategic-leadership-center-at-georgetown/about-the-program/faculty[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "That time Delta Force got called in to sort out a Georgia prison riot". 28 June 2016.
  5. ^ The Wexford Group
  6. ^ http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/35/us-strategic-leadership-center-at-georgetown/about-the-program/faculty[permanent dead link]
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