John Michael Bednarek

{{Short description|United States Army officer}} {{Infobox military person |name= John Michael Bednarek |image= John M. Bednarek (3).jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Bednarek in 2011 |nickname= Mick |birth_date= |birth_place= London, United Kingdom<ref name="Rotary Club Bio">{{cite web|url=http://portal.clubrunner.ca/1635/Stories/monday-august-20-2012-lieutenant-general-j.-michael-bednarek-commanding-general-first-army#sthash.eR6cY3nq.dpuf|title=Lieutenant General J. Michael Bednarek, Commanding General, First Army|last=Smith|first=Johanna|date=August 14, 2012|publisher=Rotary Club of Davenport|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> |death_date= |death_place= |allegiance= United States |branch= United States Army<ref name="Old 1st Army Bio">{{cite web|url=http://tradoc.army.mil/images/AUSA%202011/LTGJohn%20M%20%20Bednarek.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223184956/http://www.tradoc.army.mil/images/AUSA%202011/LTGJohn%20M%20%20Bednarek.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 23, 2016|title=Lieutenant General John M. Bednarek|publisher=United States Army|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> |service_years= 1975–2015 |rank= Lieutenant General |service_number= |unit= |commands= Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq United States First Army 25th Infantry Division |battles= Iraq War |awards= Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) |relations= |other_work= }} '''John Michael "Mick" Bednarek''' is a retired United States Army officer. He was chief of the United States Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq and former commander of the United States First Army.<ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" /><ref name="Moline Dispatch">{{cite web|url=http://www.qconline.com/news/local/lt-gen-mick-bednarek-to-relinquish-command-of-first-army/article_90d04c90-0907-5564-8f8f-9f4d0018ce28.html|title=Lt. Gen. Mick Bednarek to relinquish command of First Army|date=March 4, 2013|work=Moline Dispatch & Rock Island Argus|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=bednarek-assigned-office-security-cooperation-iraq|title=Blog: Bednarek Assigned to Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq|newspaper=Afcea International |date=11 March 2013|publisher=SIGNAL Media|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> Bednarek took command of the First Army on April 6, 2011, from Lieutenant General Thomas G. Miller and was succeeded as commanding officer by Major General Kevin R. Wendel on March 14, 2013 (interim), with Lieutenant General Michael S. Tucker succeeding Bednarek as permanent commander on August 2, 2013.<ref name="Rotary Club Bio" /><ref name="Moline Dispatch" /><ref name="Army Press Release">{{cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/article/54471/Bednarek_takes_command_of_First_Army/|title=Bednarek takes command of First Army|last=Rodesky-Flores|first=Danette|date=April 7, 2011|publisher=US Army|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wqad.com/2013/08/02/lt-gen-tucker-assumes-command-of-first-army-in-rock-island/|title=Lt. Gen. Tucker assumes command of First Army in Rock Island|last=Lamansky|first=Katrina|date=August 2, 2013|publisher=WQAD-8|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref>

==Military career== Bednarek received his commission through an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program upon his graduation from Old Dominion University.<ref name="Rotary Club Bio" /><ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" /> He has held commands within every level of the Army, ranging from platoon to field army.<ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" /> Bednarek has also served as the Chief of the Training Group at the Joint Warfighting Center, the Chief of the Operations Group at the Joint Readiness Training Center, and Commander of the 4th Training Brigade.<ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" /> In June 2008 Bednarek was given command of the First Army's East Division and on April 6, 2011, Bednarek took command of the United States First Army.<ref name="Rotary Club Bio" /><ref name="Moline Dispatch" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/article/53121/|title=Bednarek to lead First Army Division East and West|last=Bieltz |first=Brandon|date=March 11, 2011|publisher=US Army|access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> He served as commander of the First Army until March 14, 2013, when he was assigned as Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) in Iraq.<ref name="Moline Dispatch" /> As OSC chief, Bednarek was the highest ranking American military officer in Iraq and was involved in US efforts against the Islamic State in the Iraqi Civil War.<ref name="Military Times">{{cite web |url=http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140807/NEWS08/308070078/Top-U-S-officer-Iraq-We-must-neutralize-enemy- |title=Top U.S. officer in Iraq: 'We must neutralize this enemy' |last=Tan |first=Michelle |date=August 7, 2014 |work=Military Times |access-date=12 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807221203/http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140807/NEWS08/308070078/Top-U-S-officer-Iraq-We-must-neutralize-enemy- |archive-date= 7 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bednarek has also attended Troy State University where he received a MS in personnel management and administration,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://capstone.ndu.edu/Senior-Fellows/Article-View/Article/1356162/bednarek-john-mick/ |title=Bednarek, John "Mick" |publisher=National Defense University |access-date=24 February 2021}}</ref> the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College.<ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" /> Bednarek retired from service on July 24, 2015.<ref name="Retirement">{{cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/2086715/lt-gen-john-m-bednarek-retirement|title=Lt. Gen. John M. Bednarek retirement|date=July 24, 2015|publisher=US Army|access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations== {| |110px Combat Action Badge |- |125px Expert Infantryman Badge |- |75px Ranger tab |- |80px Master Parachutist Badge with one bronze Combat Jump Device |- |100px Military Freefall Parachutist Badge |- |65px Special Operations Diving Supervisor Badge |- |80px Pathfinder Badge |- |120px Silver German Parachutist Badge |- |60px 25th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge |- |48px 75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia |} {| |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} Defense Distinguished Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Distinguished Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Defense Superior Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px14px14px Legion of Merit with four bronze oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Defense Meritorious Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Achievement Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg|width=60}} Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Valorous Unit Award ribbon.svg|width=60}} Valorous Unit Award with oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg|width=60}} Meritorious Unit Commendation |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Superior Unit Award ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Army Superior Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Iraq Campaign Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=Humanitarian Service ribbon|width=60}} Humanitarian Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Service Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Overseas Service Ribbon with unidentified award numeral |} <ref name="Old 1st Army Bio" />

==References== {{reflist}} {{Commons category|John M. Bednarek|John Michael Bednarek}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box| title=Commanding General of the First United States Army| before=Thomas G. Miller| years=2011–2013| after=Kevin R. Wendel (interim)}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bednarek, John Michael}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Old Dominion University alumni Category:Troy University alumni Category:United States Army generals Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Category:British emigrants to the United States Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit