Edwin Hess Burba Jr. (born September 13, 1936) is a retired

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

four-star general who served as commander-in-chief of the United States Army Forces Command from 1989 to 1993. His father was also a general officer who served as deputy commander of

First United States Army First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Korea ...

from 1968 to 1970, and died in a plane crash.

Military career

Burba was born in McAlester, Oklahoma on September 13, 1936 (one of two 4-star generals born in McAlester, the other being

Bennie L. Davis Bennie Luke Davis (May 12, 1928September 23, 2012) was a United States Air Force General (United States), general who served as the List of commanders-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command, commander-in-chief of Strategic Air Command, and as the d ...

, commander of

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

). He attended the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

and graduated in 1959, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant. He has also earned a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , preside ...

, and is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advance courses, the Armed Forces Staff College and the

National War College The National War College (NWC) 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. History The National War Colle ...

. Burba served two tours in Vietnam, and has commanded at all levels from platoon to major command, to include the United States Army Infantry School and the 7th Infantry Division.Global Payments, Inc. bio
/ref> As an army officer, he served as Chief of Field Training at the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...

. Prior to assuming command of United States Army Forces Command, he was Commanding General of the Combined Field Army, ROK/US. He retired from the army in 1993.

Decorations

Burba's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal,

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, and

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

. He has also earned the

Master Parachutist Badge The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces. The United States Space Force and United States Coast Guard are the only branches that do not award the Parachutist Badge, bu ...

Ranger tab In the United States Army, tabs are cloth and/or metal arches displaying a word or words signifying a special skill that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms. On the Army Combat Uniform and Army Service Uniform, the tabs are worn above a unit's Should ...

and the

Combat Infantryman Badge The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is a United States Army military decoration. The badge is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat while assigned as members of ei ...

Post-military

After retiring from the military, Burba worked as a Senior Mentor with the army's Battle Command Training Program, has sat on the Board of Advisors for the National Infantry Foundation, and the Board of Directors of Global Payments, Inc. He is the 2003 recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award from the Association of Graduates, the United States Military Academy alumni association.Association of Graduates bio
/ref> Burba and his wife Trish have three daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burba, Edwin 1936 births Living people United States Army generals United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit People from McAlester, Oklahoma Elliott School of International Affairs alumni Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal National War College alumni