Gustave F. Perna

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Gustave F. Perna
Perna CG AMC 2016.jpg
Perna in 2016
Born1960 (age 61–62)
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1981–2021
RankGeneral
Commands heldUnited States Army Materiel Command
Joint Munitions Command
Defense Supply Center Philadelphia
4th Sustainment Brigade
64th Forward Support Battalion
Battles/warsIraq War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (4)
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (2)

Gustave F. Perna (born 1960) is a retired United States Army four-star general who last served as the chief operating officer of the federal COVID-19 response for vaccine and therapeutics. He previously served as the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed from July 2020 until the operation's duties and responsibilities were transferred to the White House COVID-19 Response Team in February 2021. As chief operating officer of COVID-19 response, he oversaw the logistics in the United States federal government's distribution of the vaccine to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] The Senate confirmed his nomination as chief operating officer on July 2, 2020,[2][3] and he assumed the office shortly after.[4]

Perna previously served as the 19th commanding general of United States Army Materiel Command from September 30, 2016 to July 2, 2020. He also served for two years as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, overseeing policies and procedures used by all United States Army logistic personnel throughout the world. Prior to joining the Army staff he served for two years as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/4, United States Army Materiel Command.[5]

Perna retired from the Army on July 2, 2021 after over 40 years of service.[6]

Early life and education[]

Perna is a New Jersey native who attended Morris Hills High School, before graduating from Valley Forge Military Academy and College with an associate degree in business administration. Graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, infantry officer in 1981 via the Early Commissioning Program from Valley Forge.[7] He earned a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology (1992). His military education includes: Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ordnance Officer Advanced Course, Logistics Executive Development Course, Support Operations Course, Command and General Staff College and Senior Service College.[5]

Military career[]

Perna's command assignments include:

  • Commander, Joint Munitions Command and Joint Munitions and Lethality Lifecycle Management Command, responsible for the lifecycle management of $40 billion of conventional ammunition
  • Commander, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), responsible for the procurement of more than $14.5 billion worth of food, clothing, textiles, medicines, medical supplies, construction and equipment items for America's Warfighters and other customers worldwide
  • Commander, 4th Sustainment Brigade, where he deployed the brigade to combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07
  • Commander, 64th Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, where he deployed the battalion to combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom I;
  • Deputy Commanding Officer, , 13th Corps Support Command (COSCOM), Fort Hood, Texas
  • Commander, B Company, 143rd Ordnance Battalion, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland[5]

Perna's staff assignments include:

  • Director of Logistics, J4, U.S. Forces-Iraq, responsible for sustainment plans and policies for strategic and operational logistics to sustain coalition and joint forces
  • Executive Officer to the Director of the DLA, supporting the Director's mission of providing Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and other federal agencies with logistics, acquisitions and technical services support
  • Ordnance Branch Chief, Human Resources Command
  • Division Support Command (DISCOM) Executive Officer and G4, 1st Cavalry Division, where he deployed to Bosnia
  • 544th Maintenance Battalion Support Operations Officer and Battalion Executive Officer, 13th COSCOM
  • G4 Maintenance Officer, 13th COSCOM, where he deployed to Somalia as a member of Joint Task Force Support Command[5]

Perna's nomination for promotion to commanding general of the United States Army Materiel Command (AMC) was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 15, 2016.[8] He assumed command on September 30, 2016.[5] In March 2020, his deputy Lieutenant General Edward M. Daly was confirmed as his successor at AMC.[9] In May 2020, Perna was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the White House's Operation Warp Speed effort to quickly develop a COVID-19 vaccine.[10][11] In June 2020, he was nominated to continue serving as an Army general in the position of COO, and was confirmed the next month by the Senate.[2]

Awards and decorations[]

Perna's military awards include:[12]

United States Air Force Parachutist Badge.svg Basic Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg Air Assault Badge
United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png Army Staff Identification Badge
4th Infantry Division CSIB2.svg 4th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
Ordnance Corps Regimental Insignia.gif Army Ordnance Corps Distinctive Unit Insignia
ArmyOSB.svg 5 Overseas Service Bars
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Distinguished Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award ribbon.svg Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Superior Unit Award
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgBronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
ResMedRib.svg Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 4.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
United Nations Medal, Operation in Somalia ribbon.svg United Nations Medal (for UNOSOM mission in Somalia)
NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia

References[]

  1. ^ Rempfer, Kyle (May 19, 2020). "Army 4-star will co-lead Manhattan Project-style effort to create and distribute COVID-19 vaccine". ArmyTimes. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "PN1972 — Gen. Gustave F. Perna — Army". Congress.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  3. ^ "Department of Defense Statement on Gen. Gustave Perna's Confirmation". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (in American English). Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  4. ^ Thacker, Paul (July 7, 2020). "The Sketchy Past of Trump's Coronavirus Vaccine Czar". Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e "General Gustave F. Perna: Commanding General" (PDF). U.S. Army Materiel Command. Retrieved 27 May 2018. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Riley Griffin; Josh Wingrove (2021-06-29). "Perna Retiring From Covid Task Force as U.S. Response Shifts". Bloomberg News.
  7. ^ "Valley Forge Military Academy & College". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-12-21. VFMC Class of 1981 alumni, U.S. Army Major Gen. Gustave F. Perna has been nominated by President Barack Obama for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general.
  8. ^ "PN1668 – Lt. Gen. Gustave F. Perna – Army". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
  9. ^ "PN1541 — Lt. Gen. Edward M. Daly — Army". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  10. ^ Smith, David (2020-05-15). "Trump unveils 'warp-speed' effort to create coronavirus vaccine by year's end". The Guardian (in British English). ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  11. ^ Crisp, Elizabeth (2020-05-15). "Trump launches "operation warp speed" effort to develop coronavirus vaccine by year's end". Newsweek. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  12. ^ "Lieutenant General Gustave F. Perna, U.S. Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4" (PDF). Army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-13.

External links[]

Military offices
Preceded by
 Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics of United States Army
2014–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of United States Army Materiel Command
2016–2020 		Succeeded by
New title Chief Operating Officer, Operation Warp Speed
2020-2021 		Office abolished
New title Chief Operating Officer, COVID-19 Response for Vaccine and Therapeutics
2021 		Office abolished
Retrieved from ""