ERIC KEN SHINSEKI was born in Lihue on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, on 28 November 1942; graduated from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Artillery, 1965; married Patricia "Patty" Yoshinobu, 26 June 1965; served as forward observer with Battery B, 2d Battalion, 9th Artillery, in Vietnam, and was wounded in action, 1965-1966; served as assistant secretary and then secretary to General Staff, U.S. Army, Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, 1967-1968; transferred to Armor and attended armor officer advanced course at the Armor School, Fort Knox, 1968-1969; commanded Troop A, 3d Squadron, 5th Cavalry, in Vietnam, and was wounded in action, 1970; served as personnel staff officer in Headquarters, United States Army, Pacific, 1971-1974; received a master of arts in English from Duke University, 1976; taught English at the United States Military Academy, 1976-1978; graduated from thc Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, 1979; served as regimental adjutant and then squadron executive officer with 3d Armored Cavalry, Fort Bliss, 1979-1981; served in Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, U.S. Army, 1981-1982; commanded 3d Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army, Europe, 1982-1984; was the division's assistant chief of staff, G-3 (Operations), 1984-1985; graduated from the National War College, 1986; served as chief, Institutional Training Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, U.S. Army, 1986-1987; served in Europe as commander of 2d Brigade, 3d Infantry Division, 1987-1989, assistant chief of staff, G-3, VII Corps, 1989-1990, deputy chief of staff (support), Allied Land Forces Southern Europe, 1990-1992, and assistant division commander, 3d Infantry Division, 1992-1993; served as director of training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, U.S. Army, 1993-1994; commanded 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, 1994-1995; appointed as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and plans, U.S. Army, 1995; became deputy chief of staff for operations and plans, 1996; served simultaneously as commanding general, United States Army, Europe, and Seventh Army, commanding general, NATO Land Forces, Central Europe, and commander of the NATO-led Stabilization Force, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1997-1998; was vice chief of staff of the United States Army, 1998-1999; was chief of staff of the United States Army, 22 June 1999-1 1 June 2003; initiated the Army Transformation campaign to address both the emerging strategic challenges of the early twenty-first century and the need for cultural and technological change in the Army; following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, led the Army during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM; integrated the pursuit of the Global War on Terrorism with Army Transformation, enabling the Army to continue to transform while at war; retired from active service, August 2003.


The Artist

John Boyd Martin (1936- ) was born in Ottawa, Kansas. He majored in art at the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts, after which he went on to establish himself as an accomplished portrait artist around the world. His distinctive style, achieved through the use of a broad brush and a palette of rich diversified colors, captures not only a strong, vibrant, accurate likeness but also the essence of each subject. His commissions have crossed the sports, educational, business, and political arenas. He has painted the portraits of many distinguished personalities, including Joe DiMaggio, Arnold Palmer, University of North Carolina Chancellor Christopher Fordham, AT&T Chief Executive Officer Robert Allen, Brookings Institution President Bruce McLaury, and Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera. His portrait of General Eric K. Shinseki is reproduced from the Army Art Collection.

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Painting:  Eric Ken Shinseki.  By John Boyd Martin.

Eric Ken Shinseki
By John Boyd Martin
Oil on canvas, 46"x36", 2003

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