Benjamin Freakley

{{Short description|American general (born 1953)}} {{good article}} {{Infobox military person | name = Benjamin C. Freakley | image = LTG Benjamin C. Freakley.jpg | image_size = | alt = Portrait photo of Caucasian male wearing an army combat uniform with the rank of lieutenant general, Combat Infantry Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and a Ranger tab standing in front of the U.S. flag, a command flag, and a lieutenant general flag. | caption = Benjamin C. Freakley as a lieutenant general | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|08|21|df=yes}}<ref name="NVD11OCT2008">{{cite news |title=Lieutenant general has commanded units in the last three major conflicts |author=Garren Shipley |url=http://www.nvdaily.com/special/duty/freakley.html |newspaper=The North Virginia Daily |date=11 October 2008 |access-date=10 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130020149/http://www.nvdaily.com/special/duty/freakley.html |archive-date=30 January 2012 }}</ref> | birth_place = Woodstock, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Army | service_years = 1971–2012<ref name="AES"/><ref name="IMCOM2012">{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/72201/ |title=Accessions Command discontinued |author= |date=19 January 2012 |work=United States Army Installation Management Command |publisher=United States Army |access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> | rank = Lieutenant General | service_number = | unit = 101st Airborne Division<ref name="AES"/> National Military Command Center<ref name="AES"/> 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment<ref name="AES"/> 24th Infantry Division<ref name="AES"/> 30th Infantry Regiment<ref name="AES"/> Military District of Washington<ref name="AES"/> 506th Infantry Regiment<ref name="AES"/> United States Military Academy<ref name="AES">{{cite web |url=http://www.armyedspace.com/userfiles/file/Lieutenant%20General%20Benjamin%20C_%20Freakley.pdf |title=Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley |author= |work=ArmyEdSpace.com |publisher=United States Army |access-date=7 December 2014 |archive-date=10 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210172028/http://www.armyedspace.com/userfiles/file/Lieutenant%20General%20Benjamin%20C_%20Freakley.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> | commands = United States Army Accessions Command<ref name="IMCOM2012"/> Combined Joint Task Force 76<ref name="NVD11FEB2012">{{cite news |title=A civilian once again |author=Sally Voth |url=http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2012/02/a-civilian-once-again.php |newspaper=The Northern Virginia Daily |date=11 February 2012 |access-date=10 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525143426/http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2012/02/a-civilian-once-again.php |archive-date=25 May 2012 }}</ref> 10th Mountain Division<ref name="AES"/> United States Army Infantry School<ref name="AES"/> Operations Group, National Training Center<ref name="AES"/> 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division<ref name="AES"/> 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment<ref name="AES"/> | battles = Gulf War<ref name="AES"/> Iraq War<ref name="AES"/> War in Afghanistan<ref name="AES"/> | awards = Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal (2) | spouse = Susan<ref name="AES"/> | relations = | other_work = Professor & Policy Advisor, Arizona State University.<ref name="McCainI"/><ref name="ASU">{{cite web |url=http://president.asu.edu/about/staff |title=Policy Advisors |author= |work=Office of the President |publisher=Arizona State University |access-date=10 February 2013 |quote=Special Advisor to the President for Leadership Initiatives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216035632/http://president.asu.edu/about/staff |archive-date=16 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }} '''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,<ref name="AES"/> he graduated from Central High School in Woodstock in 1971.<ref name="NVD11FEB2012"/> Freakley also became an Eagle Scout.<ref name="McCainI">{{cite web |url=http://mccaininstitute.org/about/staff/ben-freakley |title=Ben Freakley |author= |year=2012 |publisher=The McCain Institute for International Leadership |access-date=11 February 2013 |archive-date=30 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930221529/http://mccaininstitute.org/about/staff/ben-freakley |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref name="NVD11FEB2012"/>

==Military career== thumb| left| Freakley with Petraeus in 2003|alt=two men wearing three color desert combat uniforms, both with general insignia, look at a map and notebook atop a hood of a HMMWV. Being commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in 1975, he was assigned to the 506th Infantry Regiment until 1979.<ref name="AES"/> 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.<ref name="AES"/> During Operation Desert Shield, Freakley worked on the war plans,<ref name="NVD11OCT2008"/> and served as battalion executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment.<ref name="AES"/> Operation Desert Storm found him serving as the operations officer of the 1st Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division.<ref name="AES"/>

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.<ref name="AES"/> 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.<ref name="AES"/><ref name="NVD11FEB2012"/>

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.<ref name="NVD11OCT2008"/><ref name="Atkinson2007">{{cite book |last=Atkinson |first=Rick |authorlink=Rick Atkinson |title=In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=84bXflEjazEC&q=Petraeus+Freakley |access-date=11 February 2013 |year=2007 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-1429900010 |pages=283–284 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Threats and Responses: 101st Airborne Division; Just South of Iraq, a Dress Rehearsal for Seizing Territory |author=Jim Dwyer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/18/world/threats-responses-101st-airborne-division-just-south-iraq-dress-rehearsal-for.html?n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIraq |newspaper=New York Times |date=18 March 2003 |access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref> After Iraq, Freakley became the Chief of Infantry at Fort Benning,<ref name="AES"/><ref name="Atkinson2007"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mccoy.army.mil/vtriad_online/02132004/tf%20soldier.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050110075453/http://www.mccoy.army.mil/vtriad_online/02132004/tf%20soldier.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 10, 2005 |title='TF Soldier' focuses on warrior readiness |author=Joe Burlas |date=13 February 2004 |work=Army News Service |publisher=United States Army |access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref> during which time the Infantry Center became part of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.<ref>{{cite news |title=Officials confident about outcome of combining armor, infantry centers |author=Sean D. Maylor |url=http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-292925-2102408.php |newspaper=Army Times |date=10 October 2005 |access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref>

In 2005, Freakley commanded the 10th Mountain Division as it was deployed to Afghanistan,<ref name="NVD11OCT2008"/> where he also became the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-76.<ref name="AES"/><ref name="NVD11FEB2012"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sunyjefferson.edu/node/631 |title=Retired Lt. General Benjamin Freakley to Deliver 2012 Commencement Address |author= |date=14 August 2012 |work=Jefferson Community College |publisher=The State University of New York |access-date=12 February 2013 |quote=LTG Benjamin C. Freakley (RET) served as Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum from August 2005 to April 2007. During this time, he led the 10th Mountain Division as commanding general of the Combined/Joint Task Force-76 in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, from February 2006 to February 2007. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304024600/http://www.sunyjefferson.edu/node/631 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=14795 |title=10th Mountain Division Takes Afghanistan Task Force Command |author=Sergeant Douglas DeMaio |date=21 February 2006 |work=American Forces Press Service |publisher=United States Department of Defense |access-date=12 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114094553/http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=14795 |archive-date=14 January 2013 }}</ref> In 2007, Freakley took command of Accessions Command,<ref name="NVD11OCT2008"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Fort Knox: Where promotions begin |author=Jim Tice |url=http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/11/army-fort-knox-promotions-110110w/ |newspaper=Army Times |date=1 November 2010 |access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref> where he remained until he retired in 2012.<ref name="NVD11FEB2012"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/55267/ |title=Army to inactivate Accessions Command |author= |date=20 April 2011 |work=Army Public Affairs |publisher=United States Army |access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref>

==Post-military career== After retiring from the army, Freakley became a professor at Arizona State University,<ref name="McCainI"/> and special advisor to the university's president.<ref name="ASU"/>

==Awards and decorations== Freakley has received the following awards:<ref name="AES"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/goarmyphotos/5894028767/ |title=LTG Freakley and female leaders in Army Strong Zone |author= |date=30 June 2011 |work=Army Recruiting |publisher=flickr |access-date=10 February 2013 }} {{cite web |url=http://www.citadel.edu/principled-leadership/images/stories/ltg_benjamin_c._freakley_biography.pdf |title=Keynote Speaker |author= |date=12 March 2009 |website=citadel.edu |publisher=The Citadel – The Military College of South Carolina |access-date=29 August 2014 |archive-date=3 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903060544/http://www.citadel.edu/principled-leadership/images/stories/ltg_benjamin_c._freakley_biography.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon|width=80}} |Distinguished Service Medal with a bronze Oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon|width=80}} |Defense Superior Service Medal with a bronze Oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=80}} |Legion of Merit with two bronze Oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|other_device=v|name=Bronze Star ribbon|width=80}} |Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and a bronze Oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=8|type=oak|name=Meritorious Service ribbon|width=80}} |Meritorious Service Medal with one silver Oak leaf cluster and three bronze Oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Meritorious Service ribbon|width=80}} |Meritorious Service Medal ''(second ribbon denoting tenth award)'' |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|other_device=v|name=Army Commendation Medal ribbon|width=80}} |Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device and a bronze Oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=Army Achievement Medal ribbon|width=80}} |Army Achievement Medal with two bronze Oak leaf clusters |- |80px |State Department Meritorious Honor Award |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |National Defense Service Medal with two Service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=80}} |Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Afghanistan Campaign ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Afghanistan Campaign Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Iraq Campaign Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Army Service Ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Army Service Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=80}}15px |Army Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 4 device |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=NATO Meritorious Service Medal bar.svg|width=80}} |NATO Meritorious Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=NATO Medal ISAF ribbon bar.svg|width=80}} |NATO Afghanistan service |- |80px |Kuwait Liberation Medal |- |80px |Kuwait Liberation Medal |} {| class="wikitable" |80px |Combat Infantryman Badge |- |80px |Combat Action Badge |- |80px |Expert Infantryman Badge |- |80px |Ranger Tab |- |80px |Parachutist Badge |- |80px |Air Assault Badge |- |80px |Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |- |80px |10th Mountain Division Combat Service Identification Badge<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/goarmyphotos/5894532162/ |title=LTG Freakley and BG Price in Army Strong Zone |author= |date=30 June 2011 |work=Army Recruiting |publisher=flickr |access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> |- |80px |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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Freakley named leader of month |url=http://www.nvdaily.com/news/local-news/2010/11/freakley-named-leader-of-month/ |newspaper=The Northern Virginia Daily |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=25 July 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westpointaog.org/netcommunity/document.doc?id=3198 |title=LTG Ben Freakley '75 – Nat'l Education Policy Leader of the Year |author= |date=12 November 2010 |work=West Point Grad News 2010 |publisher=West Point Association of Graduates |access-date=10 February 2013 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013104/http://www.westpointaog.org/netcommunity/document.doc?id=3198 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Benjamin C. Freakley}} * {{C-SPAN|1018931}} * [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lt-gen-benjamin-freakley-usa-retired/46/797/962 LinkedIn profile]

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before = Lloyd Austin |title = Commander, 10th Mountain Division |years = 2005–2007|after = Michael L. Oates}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freakley, Benjamin}} Category:1953 births Category:United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Arizona State University faculty Category:Living people Category:People from Woodstock, Virginia Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:United States Military Academy alumni