Frederick F. Woerner, Jr.
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| Frederick F. Woerner, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 1933- | |
 General Frederick F. Woerner, Jr. |
|
| Place of birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1955-1989 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | U.S. Southern Command 6th Army 193rd Infantry Brigade |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
| Other work | Professor, Boston University |
General Frederick Frank Woerner, Jr. (born August 12, 1933) is a retired United States Army general and former commander of United States Southern Command. He was relieved of duty by President George H. W. Bush in 1989.
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[edit] Military career
Woerner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was commissioned a second lieutenant in infantry upon graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1955. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in Latin American History from the University of Arizona.[1]
Woerner served in assignments in the United States, Vietnam, and Latin America. He initially went to Vietnam in 1962 as an advisor, and following his tour there, spent the next 4 years in Latin America.[2] His assignments in Latin America included living in Colombia in 1965, and spending a year studying and traveling throughout northern South America. He spent the next three years in Guatemala as a military advisor, focusing on using military forces in national socioeconomic development, an assignment which earned him a Legion of Merit.[2] He was chosen to attend the Uruguayan Military Institute of Superior Studies in Montevideo. He also was Director of Latin American studies at the United States Army War College.
Woerner assumed command of the 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama from 1982 to 1986, and was concurrently commander the United States Army Security Assistance Agency, Latin America. He served as the Commanding General of the Sixth United States Army at the Presidio of San Francisco from March 1986 to June 1987. Following this assignment, he became the Commander in Chief of United States Southern Command in 1987, and was also promoted to four star rank. He was relieved of command in 1989 prior to Operation Just Cause. Woerner had publicly criticized the Bush administration's policy in Panama in February 1989, saying the "Bush Administration was not prepared to deal with Panama's political crisis because of a 'policy vacuum' caused by the change of Administrations."[3] Though Pentagon officials denied a connection, the announcement of Woerner's ouster came a week after a Panamanian official suggested the removal of Woerner as part of a deal to lead to Manuel Noriega's resignation as President of Panama.[3]
[edit] Post Military
In retirement, Woerner has been Professor of International Relations at Boston University. He has also worked as a consultant or associate with several companies, such as Burdeshaw Associates, Military Professional Resources, and Sumner Associates; and a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, The MITRE Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation, and Grupo Melo, a Panamanian corporation.[1] He served as Chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commsion from 1994 to 2001.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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