Tommy Franks

General Tommy Franks joined the Army in 1967. For his service in Vietnam he was awarded four Bronze Star Medals with Vs and three Purple Hearts. His other medals include five Distinguished Service Medals, four Legions of Merit and numerous foreign awards and Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed him a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was appointed to his fourth star in June of 2000. Prior to his retirement from the Army, in 2003, he was the Commander-in-Chief, United States Central Command.

The highlight of his nearly 40 years of service was the leading of the American and Coalition troops in two strategically unprecedented campaigns: Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.