About General Wesley K. Clark
Wesley K. Clark rose to the rank of four-star general during 38 years of military service. He graduated first in his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was selected as a Rhodes Scholar to study at Oxford University, where he earned his M.A. in Economics.
As a young officer in Vietnam, Gen. Clark commanded an infantry company and suffered severe wounds in combat. He later commanded at the battalion, brigade, and division levels, including the famed 1st Cavalry Division. He was also Director for Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, working with U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke to negotiate an end to the conflict in Bosnia.
Gen. Clark’s military career culminated as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, during which he led combined forces to victory in Operation Allied Force, protecting Kosovo Albanians from ethnic cleansing. His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five times), U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal (twice), Silver Star, Bronze Star (twice), and Purple Heart.
Since retiring from the Army, Gen. Clark has authored four books, including Winning Modern Wars, Waging Modern War, and A Time to Lead. He ran for U.S. President in the 2004 Democratic primary campaign, winning the Oklahoma primary before withdrawing.
