PETER JAN SCHOOMAKER was born on 12 February 1946 in Michigan, and was raised in an Army family; was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Wyoming upon graduation in 1969; entered active duty and attended armor officer basic course at the Armor School, Fort Knox, 1969; completed airborne and ranger training, Fort Benning, 1969; served as reconnaissance platoon leader, 2d Battalion, 4th Infantry, Fort Campbell, 1970-1971; promoted to first lieutenant, June 1970; commanded Company C, 2d Battalion, 4th Infantry, United States Army, Europe, 1970-1972; promoted to captain, June 1971; served as assistant S-3 (Operations) and later as S-4 (Logistics), 1st Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry, United States Army, Europe, 1972-1973; commanded Troop C, 1st Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry, United States Army, Europe, 1973-1974; served as assistant inspector general, 2d Infantry Division, in Korea, 1974; served as S-3, 1st Battalion, 73d Armor, 2d Infantry Division, in Korea, 1974-1975; attended the Marine Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, 1975-1976; served as assignment officer, United States Army Military Personnel Center, Wash., D.C., 1976-1978; received a master of arts in management from Central Michigan University, 1977; commanded a squadron in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment D, 1978-1981; promoted to major, July 1979; married Cynthia A. "Cindy" Petroski, 14 January 1980; attended the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, 1981-1982; served as executive officer, 2d Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry, United States Army, Europe, 1982-1983; served as J-3, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, 1983-1985; promoted to lieutenant colonel, July 1985; served in various command positions in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment D, 1985-1988; attended the National War College, 1988-1989; commanded 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment D, 1989-1992; promoted to colonel, June 1990; served as assistant division commander, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, 1992-1993; promoted to brigadier general, January 1993; served as deputy director for operations, readiness, and mobilization, United States Army, Wash., D.C., 1993-1994; commanded Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, 1994-1996; promoted to major general, March 1996; commanded United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, 1996-1997; promoted to lieutenant general, August 1996, and general, October 1997; served as commander in chief, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, 1997-2000; retired from active duty, December 2000; returned to active duty and became chief of staff of the United States Army, 1 August 2003.


The Photographer

Scott E. Davis (1956-) is from San Antonio, Texas. He began his career in photography in 1977 as an Army photojournalist. After his military service, he worked for the U.S. Army Visual Information Center in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., photographing ceremonies and visiting dignitaries for the Army and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He then left government service and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was a freelance photographer for five years. In 1993 he returned to the Army Visual Information Center as the Army's official portrait photographer at the Pentagon. In addition to the Army chief of staff, he has photographed the secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the secretary of the Army.

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Photo:  Peter Jan Schoomaker.  By Scott E. Davis.

Peter Jan Schoomaker
By Scott E. Davis
Photographic Portrait, 2003


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Last updated 24 February 2006