Peter Schoomaker
Encyclopedia
Peter Jan Schoomaker is a retired four-star general
of the United States Army
and served as the 35th Chief of Staff of the United States Army
from August 1, 2003 to April 10, 2007. Schoomaker's appointment as Chief of Staff was unique in that he was recalled and came out from retirement to assume the position. Schoomaker voluntarily retired from the Army for the second time in 2007 after completing the full four-year term as Chief of Staff.
Prior to his last assignment, Schoomaker spent over 30 years in a variety of assignments with both conventional and special operations forces – he is the first Special Forces-trained Army Chief of Staff and the second to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(General Henry H. Shelton was the first, when he served as Chairman
).
His brother, Lieutenant General
Eric Schoomaker
, M.D.
, PhD
, is the 42nd Surgeon General of the United States Army.
, Schoomaker graduated from the University of Wyoming
in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in education administration
. A football player, he was a starter on Wyoming's Sugar Bowl team. He holds a Master of Arts
degree in management
from Central Michigan University
, and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Hampden-Sydney College
.
in Iran
, Urgent Fury in Grenada
, Operation Just Cause in Panama
, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Southwest Asia, Uphold Democracy in Haiti
, and supported various other operations.
After being commissioned as a second lieutenant after participating in the ROTC program at the University of Wyoming, he went to the Armor School at Fort Knox. Schoomaker soon became a Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and Rifle Company
Commander with 2nd Battalion
, 4th Infantry
, and a Cavalry Troop Commander with 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany. He then served in Korea as the S-3 Operations Officer of 1st Battalion, 73rd Armor, 2nd Infantry Division. From 1978 to 1981, he commanded a squadron of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta
(1st SFOD-D), commonly known to the public as "Delta Force
", at Fort Bragg
, North Carolina
. Following a year at the Army's Command and General Staff College
at Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
, General Schoomaker served as the Squadron Executive Officer, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany. In August 1983, he returned to Fort Bragg, to serve as Special Operations Officer, J-3, Joint Special Operations Command. From August 1985 to August 1988, General Schoomaker commanded another squadron of the 1st SFOD-D. Following the National War College
in Washington, D.C., he returned to command the Delta Force from June 1989 to July 1992. Subsequently, General Schoomaker served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, followed by a tour in the Headquarters, Department of the Army staff as the Deputy Director for Operations, Readiness and Mobilization.
General Schoomaker served as the Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command from July 1994 to August 1996, followed by command of the United States Army Special Operations Command
at Fort Bragg, North Carolina through October 1997. His most recent assignment prior to assuming duties as the Army Chief of Staff was as Commander in Chief, United States Special Operations Command
at MacDill Air Force Base
, Florida, from November 1997 to November 2000. According to the 9/11 Commission, Schoomaker wanted to take action against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan using his special operators but was unable to gain approval for the mission.
and EWA-Government Systems Inc. Concurrently, Schoomaker was the Director of CAE USA Inc. (from November 2007 to February 2009), where he still serves a member of the Human Resources Committee as well as an independent director and consultant on defense matters. Schoomaker is also currently a Director of Aeroflex Incorporated
and several private and non-profit companies, including the Special Operations Warrior Foundation
.
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and served as the 35th Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
from August 1, 2003 to April 10, 2007. Schoomaker's appointment as Chief of Staff was unique in that he was recalled and came out from retirement to assume the position. Schoomaker voluntarily retired from the Army for the second time in 2007 after completing the full four-year term as Chief of Staff.
Prior to his last assignment, Schoomaker spent over 30 years in a variety of assignments with both conventional and special operations forces – he is the first Special Forces-trained Army Chief of Staff and the second to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
(General Henry H. Shelton was the first, when he served as Chairman
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
).
His brother, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Eric Schoomaker
Eric Schoomaker
Lieutenant General Eric B. Schoomaker, United States Army is the 42nd Surgeon General of the United States Army and Commanding General, United States Army Medical Command, and a practicing hematologist. He previously served as Commanding General, North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter...
, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, is the 42nd Surgeon General of the United States Army.
Biography
Schoomaker was born on February 12, 1946 in Michigan. He was raised in an army family. After attending East Lansing High SchoolEast Lansing High School
East Lansing High School is a public high school in the city of East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is managed by the East Lansing Public Schools district....
, Schoomaker graduated from the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in education administration
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. A football player, he was a starter on Wyoming's Sugar Bowl team. He holds a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
from Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
.
Military career
Schoomaker participated in numerous deployment operations including Eagle ClawOperation Eagle Claw
Operation Eagle Claw was an American military operation ordered by President Jimmy Carter to attempt to put an end to the Iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 Americans held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran on 24 April 1980...
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Urgent Fury in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, Operation Just Cause in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Southwest Asia, Uphold Democracy in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, and supported various other operations.
After being commissioned as a second lieutenant after participating in the ROTC program at the University of Wyoming, he went to the Armor School at Fort Knox. Schoomaker soon became a Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and Rifle Company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
Commander with 2nd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 4th Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and a Cavalry Troop Commander with 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany. He then served in Korea as the S-3 Operations Officer of 1st Battalion, 73rd Armor, 2nd Infantry Division. From 1978 to 1981, he commanded a squadron of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
(1st SFOD-D), commonly known to the public as "Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
", at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Following a year at the Army's Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, General Schoomaker served as the Squadron Executive Officer, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany. In August 1983, he returned to Fort Bragg, to serve as Special Operations Officer, J-3, Joint Special Operations Command. From August 1985 to August 1988, General Schoomaker commanded another squadron of the 1st SFOD-D. Following the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
in Washington, D.C., he returned to command the Delta Force from June 1989 to July 1992. Subsequently, General Schoomaker served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, followed by a tour in the Headquarters, Department of the Army staff as the Deputy Director for Operations, Readiness and Mobilization.
General Schoomaker served as the Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command from July 1994 to August 1996, followed by command of the United States Army Special Operations Command
United States Army Special Operations Command
The United States Army Special Operations Command is the command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Forces...
at Fort Bragg, North Carolina through October 1997. His most recent assignment prior to assuming duties as the Army Chief of Staff was as Commander in Chief, United States Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
at MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida, from November 1997 to November 2000. According to the 9/11 Commission, Schoomaker wanted to take action against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan using his special operators but was unable to gain approval for the mission.
Post-military career
After his retirement from active duty, Schoomaker served as a Director for DynCorp, as well as on the advisory boards of Camber CorporationCamber Corporation
Camber Corporation is a defense contractor headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2006, it recorded $110 million dollars in revenue and ranked among the top 100 federal prime contractors. In 2008, Camber grew to over $240 million in revenue. In 2009, Camber is targeted to grow to over $400...
and EWA-Government Systems Inc. Concurrently, Schoomaker was the Director of CAE USA Inc. (from November 2007 to February 2009), where he still serves a member of the Human Resources Committee as well as an independent director and consultant on defense matters. Schoomaker is also currently a Director of Aeroflex Incorporated
Aeroflex
Aeroflex Inc. is an American company which produces and markets RF and microwave integrated circuits, components, and systems used for wireless communications. Aeroflex consists of Aeroflex Microelectronic Solutions , a fabless manufacturer of rad-hard and hi-rel semiconductor devices and...
and several private and non-profit companies, including the Special Operations Warrior Foundation
Special Operations Warrior Foundation
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is an American tax-exempt 501 nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to provide college scholarships and educational counseling to the surviving children of Special Operations personnel killed in training accidents or operational missions...
.
Decorations and badges
Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
(with 2 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (Army)The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Defense Superior Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalThe Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
(with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
(with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
(with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(with 1 award star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
(with 2 campaign stars)
Southwest Asia Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
(with 2 campaign stars)
Humanitarian Service MedalHumanitarian Service MedalThe Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
Army Service RibbonArmy Service RibbonThe Army Service Ribbon is a military decoration of the United States Army that was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, dated 10 October 1990....
Overseas Service RibbonOverseas Service RibbonAn Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
(with award numeral 3)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :...
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient...- CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Meritorious Service CrossMeritorious Service Decoration (Canada)The Meritorious Service Decorations , available in two forms as the Meritorious Service Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal , are Canadian decorations awarded to those who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service or set an exemplary standard of...
(Military Division) 
Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Valorous Unit AwardValorous Unit AwardThe Valorous Unit Award is the second highest unit decoration which may be bestowed upon a U.S. Army unit and is considered the unit equivalent of the Silver Star...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Combat Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
Master Parachutist Badge
Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
Special Forces TabSpecial Forces TabThe Special Forces Tab is a service school qualification tab of the United States Army, awarded to any soldier completing either the Special Forces Qualification Course, or the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course , at the U.S. Army John F...
Ranger TabRanger TabThe Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification BadgeArmy Staff Identification BadgeThe Army Staff Identification Badge is a badge of the United States Army worn by personnel who serve at the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff at Headquarters, Department of the Army and its agencies. Neither an award nor a decoration, the badge is a distinguishing emblem of...- Special Forces Distinctive Unit InsigniaDistinctive unit insigniaA Distinctive Unit Insignia is a metal heraldic device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit...
Royal Thai Airborne badge (Golden wings with red backing)