Samuel Emanuel Ebbesen (born 15 September 1938) is a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in the

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 ...

who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy.

Early life and education

Born in the

United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

, Ebbesen attended the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

and graduated in 1961 with a B.A. degree in political science. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC program. Ebbesen later earned a master's degree in public administration from

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...

Military career

During the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, Ebbesen was sent to South Vietnam as a military advisor in 1966 and as a district senior advisor in 1970. As a

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, he served as commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Infantry, 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California. Promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in September 1982, Ebbesen commanded the 1st Brigade,

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...

(Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky from 1983 to 1985. His promotion to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

was approved in October 1986. As a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

, Ebbesen commanded the 6th Infantry Division (Light) and Army Forces Alaska from April 1990 to July 1992 at Fort Wainwright. As a lieutenant general, he served as commanding officer of the Second United States Army from July 1992 to December 1994 at Fort Gillem, Georgia. On 25 August 1992, Ebbesen deployed to

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...

to coordinate military support in the aftermath of

Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged ...

. In October 1994, Ebbesen was reappointed to the rank of lieutenant general so that he could serve at the Pentagon as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy. He retired from active duty in January 1997.

Later career

In November 2002, Ebbesen's appointment by President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

to serve on the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation was approved by the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

. He served on the board from 29 January 2003 through 2 November 2011.

References

1938 births Living people People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands City University of New York alumni African-American United States Army personnel United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Air Medal Auburn University alumni Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal 21st-century African-American people African Americans in the Vietnam War 20th-century African-American people {{US-army-bio-stub