Rescheduled: Generals, Iraq War Veteran To Outline Need for New Direction in Iraq
April 18, 2007
With President Bush scheduling photo-ops on the Iraq war in Ohio tomorrow and Michigan on Friday, the Democratic National Committee’s Veterans and Military Families Council has scheduled a conference call with two retired generals and an Iraq War veteran to outline the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq. Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.) and Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) will join Ohio State Senator and Council member Maj. John Boccieri (USAF Reserve) for the call on Thursday, April 17 at 1:15PM.
While Democrats in Congress have offered a plan for Iraq that supports our troops by providing them the resources they need, offers a real strategy for success, and holds the Iraqi government accountable for its own future, President Bush continues to refuse to work with Democrats on a way forward. General Gard, General Johns and Senator Boccieri—an Air Force Reserve Major and C-130 commander who has served four rotations supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom—will discuss the strain President Bush’s permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is placing on our armed forces and outline the need for a new direction.
WHO: Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.), Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) and Ohio State Senator John Boccieri
WHAT: Conference call on the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq
WHEN: Thursday, April 19, 2007, at 1:15 PM Eastern Time (10:15 AM Pacific)
WHERE: RSVP to Aaron Resnick at resnicka@dnc.org or by calling (202) 863-8148 to receive call-in information.
BIOS:
Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.): A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950, Robert Gard earned an MPA in 1956 and a Ph. D. in Political Economy and Government in 1961 - both from Harvard University. He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant general in 1981, following 31 years of distinguished service. General Gard's military assignments included a three year tour in Germany, and combat service in Korea and Vietnam. Assignments during his military career included executive assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the first Director of Human Resources Development for the U.S. Army, and Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. General Gard also served as President of the National Defense University and was a fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations.
In 1981/82, General Gard was a visiting professor of international relations at the American University of Paris, and was the director of the Bologna Center of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies from 1982 to 1987. From 1987-1998, General Gard served as president of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He has written for well-known periodicals that focus on military and international affairs and lectured widely at U.S. and international universities and colleges, and at academic conferences. He is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1996, General Gard joined Veterans for America as its military advisor. He has been active in VFA's efforts to enact an international and U.S. ban on the production, sale, transfer, and use of antipersonnel landmines.
Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.): Dr. John H. Johns served as a combat arms officer in the Army for over 26 years, retiring as a brigadier general in 1978. During his career, he served in command assignments up to Assistant Commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Director of Human Resources Development for the Army General Staff. He has taught leadership and ethics at the U.S. Military Academy, the Army War College, the U.S. Military Academy, and the Naval Academy. He served four years as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense before resigning to become a Professor of Political Science at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair. He is an adjunct professor at the Federal Executive Institute, where he lectures on "Values and the U.S. Constitution" and teaches a one-week course in ethics. Dr. Johns has an undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Alabama. He holds Masters? degrees from Vanderbilt (psychology) and George Washington University (international affairs) and a Ph.D. from American University (sociology). He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, and The National War College.
Senator John Boccieri: State Senator John Boccieri, a New Middletown, OH resident, served three terms as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for District 61 before being elected to the Senate in 2006. A former Air Force officer, Boccieri was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base. In his role as staff officer, he supported Presidential visits to Arkansas and also worked on base-wide support of three treaties- Open Skies, Chemical Weapons Compliance, and START II Treaties. As a commissioned Lieutenant in the military, he worked with base-wide support for the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, the State Department, the White House Communications Staff, the Secret Service, and Air Force and Marine Advance Agents. While on active duty, Boccieri continued to pursue his interest in government by earning masters degrees in public administration and business from Webster University, St. Louis Missouri. Currently, Boccieri is an Air Force Reserve Major and aircraft commander aboard the C-130 aircraft, stationed at Youngstown Joint Air Reserve Station. He recently deployed in 4 rotations to support our troops in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Boccieri has served our nation in over 40 countries and has eleven years of service in the U.S. Military.
