{{short description|United States Army general}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = | name = Alfred A. Valenzuela | honorific_suffix = | image = File:Alfred Valenzuela.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Maj. Gen. Alfred A. Valenzuela | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | other_name = | nickname = | birth_date = 1948 | birth_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | burial_label = | burial_place = | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | allegiance = | branch = United States Army | service_years = | rank = 50px<br/>Major General | service_number = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records --> | unit = | commands = United States Army South Military Group, Peru; Division Artillery 10th Mountain Division; 1-36th Battalion, 17th FA Brigade, VII Corp. Commanded several Artillery Batteries in the 1st Cavalry Division. | battles_label = Served in Colombia, Korea, Turkey, Haiti, Grenada, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Kuwait, Somalia. | battles = | awards = | memorials = | spouse = Esther Valenzuela | relations = 2 children | other_work = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | module = }} '''Alfred A. Valenzuela''' is a retired United States Army major general who commanded United States Army South (USARSO) at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico and San Antonio, Texas. He also served as Deputy Commanding General (DCINC) of U.S. Southern Command.
Valenzuela was deployed as part of 3rd Infantry Division to Kuwait on operations in 1997.
==Awards and decorations== His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Soldier's Medal for Heroism, Bronze Star with "V" device, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (3rd award).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/|title=Academics|website=St. Mary's University}}</ref>
*60px Defense Distinguished Service Medal *60px Army Distinguished Service Medal *60px Defense Superior Service Medal *60px Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters *60px Soldier's Medal for Heroism. *60px Bronze Star with Valor Device for Valor in combat. *60px Defense Meritorious Service Medal *60px Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters *60px Joint Service Commendation Medal *60px Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster *60px Joint Service Achievement Medal *60px Army Achievement Medal *60px Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal *60px Humanitarian Service Medal *60px Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters Served in Haiti, Colombia, Korea, Peru, Turkey, Germany, Kuwait, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Panama, El Salvador, Somalia & numerous Joint & InterAgency assignments. served in 6 Infantry Divisions & 3 Combat Corps
==Civilian career== He is a Senior Consultant for the Center of Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University School of Law.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://law.stmarytx.edu/academics/center-for-terrorism-law/director/consultants/|title=Consultants|work=St. Mary's School of Law}}</ref>
He wrote the book ''No Greater Love: The Lives & Times of Hispanic Soldiers'' with Jason Lemons.<ref>Valenzuela, Freddie, and Jason Lemons. No Greater Love: The Lives and Times of Hispanic Soldiers. Austin, TX: Ovation Books, 2008. {{ISBN|9780979027581}}</ref>
Major contributor to the book entitled " Right Before Our Eyes: Latinos Past, Present & Future"
He is the Senior Military Advisor to the Warrior Defense Project, part of the St. Mary's Law School
He wrote: The Essence and Variation of Soldiers in Politics: A Dimensional Typology of Latin American Leadership and Regimes
He is an Advisor to the Military Health Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center
Recently appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to the Texas Access Judicial Commission: co-chair of Veterans committee
==Personal life== Valenzuela is married to Esther Valenzuela and they have two children. Lori Valenzuela is a Justice of the 4th Court of Appeals. Served as Criminal District Court Judge for 10 years & was the co founder of the Veterans Felony Treatment Court. Alfred II is a Senior Program manager in the Edicational arena.
==Other Awards== *Eagle Scout * Hall of Fame: Thomas Jefferson High School * Distinguished Alumni & Distinguished Board of Trustee Emeriti St. Mary's University * Hall of Fame of the Boy's & Girls Club of America * Named "One of the Most 100 Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business Magazine.
==Philanthropy and civic engagement== Appointed by the US President, He is currently serving as a commissioner for The World War One Centennial Commission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldwar-1centennial.org/index.php/about/the-world-war-onecentennial-commission.html|title=The World War One Centennial Commission|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029004427/http://worldwar-1centennial.org/index.php/about/the-world-war-onecentennial-commission.html|archivedate=2014-10-29}}</ref> He is serving as the Co-Chair of the Military Advisory Council of America 250. They are the military arm of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Congressional Commission.
Has an Educational Foundation that gives scholarships to Soldiers children that he buried from the Iraq/Afghanistan wars.
==See also== {{portal|Biography}}
==References== {{reflist}} Recently named to the Military Advisory Council to America 250, for the Presidential Semi Quintennial Commission
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010054106/http://www.southcom.mil/pa/SoStar/000630.pdf Command Run] US Southern Command, June 2000 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060826132331/http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=2432 News Release], May 2000 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010054045/http://www.southcom.mil/pa/SoStar/010427.pdf Command Run] US Southern Command, April 2001 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071113101728/http://www.hispaniconline.com/magazine/2000/apr/Features/index.html Valenzuela interview], Hispanic Magazine, April 2000
{{S-start}} {{succession box |title=''Commander U.S. Army South'' |before=Unknown |years=2000-2003 |after= LTG John D. Gardner }} {{S-end}}
{{Recipients of the Soldier's Medal}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valenzuela, Alfred}} Category:Living people Category:Jefferson High School (San Antonio, Texas) alumni Category:United States Army generals Category:American people of Mexican descent Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Soldier's Medal Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Category:St. Mary's University, Texas alumni Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal Category:People from San Angelo, Texas Category:1948 births Category:Recipients of the Humanitarian Service Medal Category:Military personnel from Texas