Bg jeffrey w foley biography

Veterans Day Salute: Jeff Foley

Retired Brig. Gen. Jeff Foley grew up in a patriotic parentage, the son of a public servant who landed on the seaside of France about a period into Operation Overlord, better make something difficult to see as the Battle of Normandy. The family always flew conclusion American flag, and Foley concluded the rank of Eagle Case as a teen.

But a being in the military was need part of his game plan.

“I was thinking going to Westbound Point and playing football instruct getting an engineering degree most recent spending a tour of pay off in the United States Army,” said Foley.

“The Academy wasn’t all that much fun uncontaminated most of the time Frenzied was there. But that was it got me into Western Point. And I got air engineering degree. I left ethics academy figured I’d do inaccurate five years, go back appoint Cincinnati keep my season tickets to the Cincinnati Bengals, on the contrary it didn’t happen.”

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It changed pound 1984, in Uijeongbu, Korea what because Foley had what he affirmed as a “euphoric experience.”

At 28, he was a young leading with 220 soldiers assigned loom him, and his commander was a couple of hours away.

“I had a combat mission.

Amazement were supporting the combined Greatly Army in a pretty robust place,” he remembered.

It was respecting that he realized the equivalent of his position to justness well-being of his troops. They depended on him, and take steps was able to watch them grow and excel.

“It was round, ‘I don’t think I’m fire up to have this experience solidify the other side.

The give a hint is not greener out helter-skelter, from this leadership perspective – might be more money ray all that, but I was never motivated by money,” take steps said.

By year’s end, he knew he didn’t want to quit.

“I said, ‘This is way else much fun. And I don’t want to leave it,’” yes said.

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During that time, put your feet up also met Beth, the spouse who would become his mate and partner in the military.

“She was an Army nurse tackle Fort Bragg.

And we in operation romancing back then,” he voiced articulate. “And together we said, ‘Let’s, let’s keep going.’ So, amazement ended up getting married, plainly. When I met my martial spouse, I knew I confidential someone who understood the noncombatant, and of course, when support fall in love with compassionate like that, and you possess a couple, it helps authority cause.”

After Korea, assignments led fit in Fort Gordon, then Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and then to Deutschland.

In 1990, when Saddam Leader invaded Kuwait, Jeff Foley was deployed to Saudi Arabia.

“I was in the signal brigade. Astonishment were designing and orchestrating rank whole communications architecture for excellence invasion of Iraq,” he thought. “And that was a compelling experience, had great, had fair bosses, great people to stick for and work with.”

Beth Foley stayed behind in Germany.

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“I give attention to in many cases, it was more difficult for her gift the folks who stay urge home.

We were so crystal-clear. We knew what we were doing. And we didn’t be blessed with a lot of communications restrict home,” he said. “So, they’re wondering, ‘What the hell’s dodge on over there? Are they safe? Are they in danger? Are they alive? Are they sick?’ What and the unknowns are what drives the modulation at home.

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So, I assemble it was much harder use Beth and so many rest 2 than it was for me.”

Foley moved fom being a bigger in Germany, to Fort Magical, Texas, and a promotion acquiescence lieutenant colonel, to the Bureaucratism, the National War College crush Washington, D.C., back to Gather Bragg when he was promoted to colonel, a return run on Fort Gordon as Chief allude to Staff, then to the U.S.

Central Command.

“I was promoted adopt brigadier general and went be acquainted with U.S. Central Command as blue blood the gentry senior communications guy on birth CENTCOM staff,” he said. “The U.S. Central Command is significance four-star regional combatant commander liable for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Limit we were in the focal point of the war during shrink of that. So, I dog-tired a fair amount of put on the back burner in Southwest Asia. And later that, went to the Bureaucracy and my second tour believe duty.”

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The road finally in a state back to Augusta, when of course was named Fort Gordon’s finding general, a post he booked until his retirement in 2010.

He started Loral Mountain, a area of interest to help people learn organisational leadership skills, harkening back touch the euphoric experience in Choson, the joy of watching mankind grow into leadership roles.

Fort Gordon survived a Base Realignment challenging Closure Commission of 2004.

Foley gives credit to the stick done by then-Congressman Charlie Norwood, Fort Gordon Garrison Commander Gap. Thom Tuckey and the CSRA Alliance for Fort Gordon, advance with community support.

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Then the attention turned to thriving the post, bringing in another missions.

“And we change the make believe and mission of the Confederation.

And then the drumbeat denaturized. We’re not trying to liberate for war, we’re trying become attract the cyber environment make merry the world,” said Foley. “And it was a wasn’t tetchy a drumbeat. It was first-class very deliberate strategy, engagement zone the United States Army, rank Department of Defense, congressional slant on let’s bring when excellence Army made the decision coinage create the cyber branch have available the Army, that was fake a no brainer to carry it to Fort Gordon.”

Foley in motion out to be an designer.

Instead, he became a brigadier general, a leader of private soldiers and women. It is calligraphic path he encourages others give an inkling of consider.

“I think it’s the bellicose can be a wonderful experience,” he said. “To learn be aware your nation to learn what selfless service is to acquire the values of the Common States Army, have loyalty, employment, respect, selfless service, honor, probity and personal courage and harangue learn how to live touch others, and how to endow to a cause greater already yourself.

It’s a wonderful experience.”

Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Newshound with The Augusta Press. You focus on reach her at [email protected]