Eric K. Shinseki

General Eric Ken Shinseki (エリック・シンセキ) was the 34th Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and retired from the post in 2003. During his tenure, he initiated an innovative, but controversial plan to make the Army lighter and faster by creating Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.

Education and military service

Shinseki graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and the usual Second Lieutenant's commission. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from Duke University. General Shinseki was also educated at the Armor Officer Advanced Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the National War College.

Shinseki served in a variety of command and staff assignments both in the Continental United States and overseas, including two combat tours with the 9th and 25th Infantry Divisions in the Republic of Vietnam as an Artillery Forward Observer and as Commander of Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry. During one of those tours, he stepped on a land mine, which blew off the front of one of his feet.

He has served in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks with Headquarters, United States Army Hawaii, and Fort Shafter with Headquarters, United States Army Pacific. He has taught at the United States Military Academy’s Department of English. During duty with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas, he served as the Regimental Adjutant and as the Executive Officer of its 1st Squadron.

General Shinseki’s ten-plus years of service in Europe included assignments as the Commander, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry (Schweinfurt); the Commander, 2nd Brigade, (Kitzingen); the Assistant Chief of Staff G3 (Operations, Plans and Training) (Wuerzburg); and the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver (Schweinfurt), all with the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized). He served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3 (Operations, Plans and Training), VII Corps (Stuttgart). General Shinseki served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Support, Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (Verona, Italy), an element of the Allied Command Europe.

From March 1994 to July 1995, General Shinseki commanded the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. In July 1996, he was promoted to lieutenant general and became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, United States Army. In June 1997, General Shinseki was appointed to the rank of general before assuming duties as the Commanding General, United States Army Europe; Commander, Allied Land Forces Central Europe; and Commander, NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. General Shinseki assumed duties as the 28th Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army on 24 November 1998. He assumed duties as the 34th Chief of Staff, United States Army, on 22 June 1999.

General Shinseki's retirement in 2003 has been a matter of some controversy, as it became a disputed point in the first of the 2004 U.S. presidential election debates. The Democratic candidate, John Kerry, made the claim that Shinseki was forcibly retired over his estimates of troop requirements for the 2003 Iraq War, which were much larger than predicted by the George W. Bush Administration, including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Bush maintained that Shinseki had put in for retirement before the start of the war. Shinseki's own statement is that he was forced into retirement, though not necessarily over the specific question of troop requirements in Iraq.

Shinseki is a native of Hawaii and is the only Japanese American to ever be promoted to the Army's top position.

Military Decorations

General Shinseki military decorations include the:

• Defense Distinguished Service Medal
• Distinguished Service Medal
• Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Bronze Star “V” Device (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Purple Heart (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Air Medal
• Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Army Achievement Medal

Qualification badges include the Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge