MG Alfred A. Valenzuela is a retired

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

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 ...

who commanded

United States Army South United States Army South is an Army service component command of United States Southern Command whose area of responsibility includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and the Caribbean. It is headquar ...

(USARSO) at Fort Buchanan,

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

and San Antonio, Texas. Served as Deputy Commanding General DCINC ) US Southern Command, Panama/Miami. Served in Kuwait with 3d Infantry Division.

Awards and decorations

His decorations include the

Defense Distinguished Service Medal The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the ...

, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters),

Soldier's Medal The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equiv ...

for Heroism ,

Bronze Star 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 ...

with "V" device,

Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) is an award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense. In the order of precedence of the United States Armed Forces, it is worn between the Purple ...

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: * Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Me ...

(with two Oak Leaf Clusters),

Joint Service Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

(with Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Achievement Medal,

Army Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to recei ...

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after ...

Humanitarian Service Medal The Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM) is a military service medal of the United States Armed Forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under . The medal may be awarded to members of the United States military (includ ...

and the

Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US 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. The Joint Meritor ...

(3rd award). *

Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon

Army Distinguished Service Medal * US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon

Defense Superior Service Medal * Legion of Merit ribbon

Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters * Soldier's Medal ribbon

for Heroism. * Bronze Star ribbon

with

Valor Device Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor (band), a Christian gospel music group * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ...

for Valor in combat. *

Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon

with two oak leaf clusters * Joint Service Commendation ribbon

with oak leaf cluster * Us jointservachiev rib

Joint Service Achievement Medal * Army Achievement Medal ribbon

with two oak leaf clusters Served in Haiti, Colombia, Korea, Peru, Turkey, Germany, Kuwait, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Panama, El Salvador, Somalia & numerous Joint & InterAgency assignments. served in 6 Infantry Divisions & 3 Combat Corps

Civilian career

He is a Senior Consultant for the Center of Terrorism Law at

St. Mary's University School of Law St. Mary's University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of St. Mary's University, a private Catholic university located in San Antonio, Texas. Academics The School of Law has an enrollment of about 770 students, pursu ...

. He wrote the book ''No Greater Love: The Lives & Times of Hispanic Soldiers'' with Jason Lemons. Major contributor to the book entitled " Right Before Our Eyes: Latinos Past, Present & Future" He is the Senior Military Advisor to the Warrior Defense Project, part of the St. Mary's Law School He wrote: The Essence and Variation of Soldiers in Politics: A Dimensional Typology of Latin American Leadership and Regimes He is an Advisor to the Military Health Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center Recently appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to the Texas Access Judicial Commission: co-chair of Veterans committee

Personal life

Valenzuela is married to Esther Valenzuela and they have two children. Lori Valenzuela is a Justice of the 4th Court of Appeals. Served as Criminal District Court Judge for 10 years & was the co founder of the Veterans Felony Treatment Court. Alfred II is a Senior Program manager in the Edicational arena.

Other Awards

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle S ...

* Hall of Fame: Thomas Jefferson High School * Distinguished Alumni St. Mary's University * Hall of Fame of the Boy's & Girls Club of America * Named "One of the Most 100 Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business Magazine.

Philanthropy and civic engagement

Appointed by the US President, He is currently serving as a commissioner for The World War One Centennial Commission. He is serving as the Co-Chair of the Military Advisory Council of America 250. They are the military arm of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Congressional Commission. Has an Educational Foundation that gives scholarships to Soldiers children that he buried from the Iraq/Afghanistan wars.

References

Recently named to the Military Advisory Council to America 250, for the Presidential Semi Quintennial Commission

External links

Command Run
US Southern Command, June 2000
News Release
May 2000
Command Run
US Southern Command, April 2001

Hispanic Magazine, April 2000 {{DEFAULTSORT:Valenzuela, Alfred Living people Jefferson High School (San Antonio, Texas) alumni United States Army generals American people of Mexican descent Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Soldier's Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal St. Mary's University, Texas alumni Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal People from San Angelo, Texas 1948 births Recipients of the Humanitarian Service Medal Military personnel from Texas