General John M. Keane, United States Army, Retired

General Keane, a four-star general, completed 37 years of public service in December 2003, culminating in his appointment as acting Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. As the chief operating officer of the Army for over 4 years, he directed 1.5 million soldiers and civilians in 120 countries, with an annual operating budget of 110 billion dollars. General Keane was in the Pentagon on 9/11 and provided oversight and support for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In late 2006 President Bush invited General Keane to the Oval Office, among others, to discuss Iraq. Alone among them, General Keane brought the president a concrete strategic concept, later to be known as the troop “surge,” which he helped develop, to change American strategy for the war and improve its execution. During the surge period, General Keane conducted frequent trips to Iraq and Afghanistan for senior defense officials. General Keane is a career infantry paratrooper, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War decorated for valor, who spent much of his military life in operational commands, including command of the famed 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the legendary 18th Airborne Corps, the Army’s largest warfighting organization.

General Keane is the son of an immigrant mother, a WWII Marine father, a born and raised New Yorker, and a lifelong NY Yankee fan. He has commissioned an infantry 2nd Lieutenant from Army ROTC as a Distinguished Military Graduate at Fordham University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and received a Master of Arts degree from Western Kentucky University. He is a graduate of the Army War College and the Army Command and General Staff College.

Among his awards, General Keane was the first military leader to be honored with the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award and the prestigious Bradley Prize. In March 2020, General Keane was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. General Keane’s numerous military service medals and citations include two Defense and two Army Distinguished Service Medals, five Legions of Merit, the Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Vietnam Service medals, a Combat Infantryman Badge, a Master Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab, to list a few. General Keane is married to Angela McGlowan and has two sons, Daniel and Matthew, who is deceased, from his marriage to the late Theresa Doyle.