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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Benjamin Freakley
Benjamin C. Freakley (born 21 August 1953) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. From Woodstock, Virginia, Freakley was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1975, and served in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan before retiring in 2012. After leaving active duty military service, he joined the McCain Institute and Arizona State University.

Early life

Originally from Woodstock, Virginia, he graduated from Central High School in Woodstock in 1971. Freakley also became an Eagle Scout. Applying for admission to two senior military colleges (Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel) and West Point, he ended up graduating from West Point with the Class of 1975.

Military career

Being commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in 1975, he was assigned to the 506th Infantry Regiment until 1979. He then was an aide-de-camp to the commanding general of the Military District of Washington, before being sent to West Germany to serve with the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment. During Operation Desert Shield, Freakley worked on the war plans, and served as battalion executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. Operation Desert Storm found him serving as the operations officer of the 1st Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division.

After Operation Desert Storm, Freakley commanded the 1st Battalion of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, before serving in staff positions with the 24th Infantry Division and III Corps, until being placed in command of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. 1999 found Freakley commanding the operations group at Fort Irwin's National Training Center, before serving in staff positions at the National Military Command Center and Joint Staff.

two men wearing three color desert combat uniforms, both with general insignia, look at a map and notebook atop a hood of a HMMWV.
Freakley with Petraeus in 2003

In 2003, Freakley served as assistant division commander, under David Petraeus, of the 101st Airborne Division, which found Freakley involved in combat in Iraq a second time during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After Iraq, Freakley became the Chief of Infantry at Fort Benning, during which time the Infantry Center became part of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

two men wearing army combat uniforms, one holding an M-4 as part of a color guard, the other placing a combat patch on the other's shoulder.
Freakley at Bagram Air Base in 2006
one man wearing an army combat uniform speaking at a podium in the foreground, an afghan man standing to the right in the background.
Freakley at a bridge, over Helmand River, opening in Uruzgan province

In 2005, Freakley commanded the 10th Mountain Division as it was deployed to Afghanistan, where he also became the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-76. In 2007, Freakley took command of Accessions Command, where he remained until he retired in 2012.

Post-military career

After retiring from the army, Freakley became a professor at Arizona State University, and special advisor to the university's president.

Awards and decorations

Freakley has received the following awards:

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 white ribbon with width-10 scarlet stripes at edges, separated from the white by width-2 ultramarine blue stripes.
 Distinguished Service Medal with a bronze Oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Superior Service Medal with a bronze Oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges
 Legion of Merit with two bronze Oak leaf clusters
V
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 "V" Device and a bronze Oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal with one silver Oak leaf cluster and three bronze Oak leaf clusters
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges. Meritorious Service Medal (second ribbon denoting tenth award)
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 myrtle green ribbon with width-3 white stripes at the edges and five width-1 stripes down the center; the central white stripes are width-2 apart
 Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device and a bronze Oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 ribbon with two width-9 ultramarine blue stripes surrounded by two pairs of two width-4 green stripes; all these stripes are separated by width-2 white borders
 Army Achievement Medal with two bronze Oak leaf clusters
State Department Meritorious Honor Award
Bronze star
Bronze star
 National Defense Service Medal with two Service stars
Bronze star
Bronze star
 Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Service stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 4 device
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
NATO Afghanistan service
Kuwait Liberation Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Action Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Ranger Tab
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
10th Mountain Division Combat Service Identification Badge
3 Overseas Service Bars

Freakley was also named the policy leader of the year, by the National Association of State Boards of Education in 2010.