Stormin’ Norman Reached the End of a Distinguishing Career and August Life
Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one: be without the strategy. – General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
photo by wikipedia
There are few words in the English language that describe stormin’ Norman’s exceptional military career. Dignified, extraordinary, distinguished, and brilliant are a few of the most apropos.
Retired US Four star General Norman Schwarzkopf (stormin’ Norman) died on Thursday Dec 27 at the age of 78 from complications of pneumonia.
The moniker, stormin’ Norman, apparently came from his “no-nonsense”, “get it done now” personality. But he preferred to be called “The Bear”, which is how his army troops referred to him.
photo by armedforcesmuseum.com
When you look at Norman Schwarzkopf’s life it is easy to see that he was almost destined to lead the US army in the Desert Storm war. So many things in his life pointed to it. He has often been compared to the great American General George Patton.
Stormin’ Norman was born in 1934, in Trenton, N.J. while his father Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (who founded the New Jersey State Police) was in the midst of the kidnapping case of the Lindbergh baby.
When he was a teen, Norman went to Iran where his father was training Iran’s national police force and also acting as an adviser to the Shah of Iran.
Young stormin’ Norman studied in Iran, Switzerland, Germany and Italy, before finally following his father’s footsteps to West Point Academy where he graduated in 1956 as an engineer.
Young Norman spent periods in the U.S. and abroad, before earning his master’s degree in engineering at the University of Southern California. He went on to teach missile engineering at West Point.
Starting in 1966 he volunteered to serve two tours in the Vietnam War where stormin’ Norman earned three Silver Stars for valor – including one for saving his troops from a minefield, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and three Distinguished Service Medals.
At the end of the Vietnam War many disillusioned officers left the military. Schwarzkopf was one of few who decided to remain in the Army to help restore the dilapidated forces into a strong, modernized all-volunteer force. He did not believe the draft created a powerful army.
Stormin’ Norman became commander in chief of U.S. Central Command at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base in 1988, where he oversaw the headquarters for U.S. military and security concerns in many countries from the Middle East to Afghanistan and the rest of central Asia and Pakistan.
Enjoy this recent report and short summary of Norman’s career by FoxNews on YouTube:
“I’ve always felt that I was more than one-dimensional. I’d like to think I’m a caring human being. … It’s nice to feel that you have a purpose,” he once told The Associated Press. To those who knew stormin’ Norman well, he was friendly, talkative and even cheerful and will be remembered for his many charitable acts, particularly with chronically ill children.
photo by mirror.co.uk
In part of his tribute to stormin’ Norman, President Barack Obama said, “With the passing of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, we’ve lost an American original … Gen. Schwarzkopf stood tall for the country and Army he loved.”
Nobody filled a room quite like General Norman Schwarzkopf.
God bless you!
Adrian and Jocelyn Frank
CEO/Owners of Adrian Frank Consulting
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