John J. Sheehan: Difference between revisions

|serviceyears= 1962-19971962–1997

'''John J.Joseph "Jack" Sheehan'''<ref>{{cite book |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and Reserve Officers on Active Duty |page=940 |date=January 1, 1965 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel}}</ref> (born August 23, 1940) is a retired [[United States Marine Corps]] general. His final active duty commands, culminating 35 years of service in the Marine Corps, were as the [[Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic]] (SACLANT) for [[NATO]] and as Commander-in-Chief for the [[United States Joint Forces Command|U.S. Atlantic Command]] (CINCUSACOM) (1994–1997).

Sheehan was born on August 23, 1940, in [[Somerville, Massachusetts]].<ref>[{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.cacom/books?id=DXT4esfeBFsC&q=%22John%22+%22Sheehan%22+1940+marine+corps&dq|title=%22John%22+%22Sheehan%22+1940+marine+corps&hlDepartment of Defense Appropriations for 1998: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifth Congress, First Session|year=en&sa2002|isbn=X&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAWoVChMI0cfK3I3gxgIVAY8NCh0pMwZ6]9780160692451}}</ref> The son of Irish immigrants, he is one of seven children. He graduated with a B.A. degree in English from [[Boston College]] in June 1962. After graduation, he was commissioned a [[second lieutenant#United States|second lieutenant]] in the U.S. Marine Corps. As a captain, Sheehan was awarded the [[Silver Star Medal]] for gallantry during combat operations from September 14 to 17, 1968. He holds an M.S. degree from [[Georgetown University]] in Government. His professional military education includes the [[Amphibious Warfare School]], [[Naval War College|Naval Command and Staff College]], and [[National War College]].<ref name="autogeneratedmil">{{cite web |url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Sheehan_JJ.htm |title=History Division |publisher=Tecom.usmc.mil |access-date= |accessdate=2010-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615062805/http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Sheehan_JJ.htm |archive-date=2011-06-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He served in various command positions ranging from [[company (military unit)|company]] commander to [[brigade]] commander in both the Atlantic and Pacific theater of operations. GeneralSheehan Sheehan’sassumed combatcommand tours include duty inof [[Vietnam8th War|VietnamMarine Regiment]] andfrom [[Gulf14 War#OperationNovember Desert1986 to 16 May 1988.<ref>{{cite web Shield|Deserttitle=2ND Shield]]/[[OperationMARINE DesertDIVISION AND ITS REGIMENTS Storm|Deserturl=https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/THE%202D%20MARINE%20DIVISION%20AND%20ITS%20REGIMENTS%20%20PCN%2019000319300.pdf Storm]]|website=www.<refusmcu.edu name|archive-url="autogeneratedmil"https://web.archive.org/web/20201026232730/https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/THE%202D%20MARINE%20DIVISION%20AND%20ITS%20REGIMENTS%20%20PCN%2019000319300.pdf |access-date=2016-04-10|archive-date=2020-10-26 }}</ref>

HisBefore [[staffassuming (military)|staff]]his positions includedfinal duties as [[regiment]]al,Supreme [[divisionAllied (military)|division]]Commander, Atlantic and serviceCommander headquartersin staffChief, officerU.S. asAtlantic wellCommand ason jointOctober duty31, with1994, theGeneral [[UnitedSheehan Statesserved Army]]as Director for Operations, theJ-3, OfficeJoint of theStaff, [[SecretaryWashington, of DefenseD.C.]], and General Sheehan retired from the U.S.Marine AtlanticCorps Commandon September 24, 1997.<ref name="autogeneratedmil"/>

In March 2010 he testified to the US Congress that according to the chief of staff of the Dutch Army at the time of the incident, the [[Srebrenica massacre|fall of Srebrenica]] was caused by lack of readiness related to the Dutch being more concerned with internal 'socialisation' of the military than fighting capacity. Sheehan stated it was in part due to [[sexual orientation and military service|homosexual men serving in the military]]. During the same testimony, Sheehan stated that gays weakened the army, while attraction between men and women in gender-integrated units would not.<ref>{{YouTube|0V7Or0kbqY0|"General Sheehan: gays responsible for Srebrenica massacre"}}</ref><ref name="washingtonpost1">{{cite news|url=httphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031901101.html |title=Dutch fuming at retired US general's gays comment |publisherwork=washingtonpost.com |access-date= |accessdate=2010-03-19}} {{Deaddead link|date=SeptemberJune 20102021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=RjwilmsiBotmedic}}</ref><ref>[http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/03/military_dontask_hearing_031810w/ Sheehan: Gays weakened European militaries]</ref><ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2011381352_apusmilitarygaysdutch.html?syndication=rss Retired U.S. general links gays in army to genocide ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323215844/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2011381352_apusmilitarygaysdutch.html?syndication=rss |date=2010-03-23 }}</ref> Speculation has it that Sheehan meant General [[Henk van den Breemen]], Dutch chief of staff at the time of the Srebrenica genocide. General van den Breemen denied having said such a thing and called Sheehan's comments "total nonsense".<ref name="washingtonpost1"/> Dutch Minister of Defense [[Eimert van Middelkoop]] stated that Sheehan's statement was "disgraceful," "unworthy of anyone in the military".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blikopnieuws.nl/bericht/111003/Anti-homo_uitspraken_Sheehan_militair_onwaardig.html |title='Anti-homo uitspraken Sheehan militair onwaardig' [Blik op Nieuws.nl - Zuid Holland&#93; |publisher=Blikopnieuws.nl |access-date= |accessdate=2010-03-19}}</ref> Prime-Minister [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] of the Netherlands stated that Sheehan's words are "shameful", "outrageous", "beneath contempt" and "disrespectful towards all troops involved".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/politiek/article3019818.ece/Balkenende__uitlating_generaal_over_homoseksuele_militairen_schandelijk.html |title=Balkenende: uitlating generaal over homoseksuele militairen schandelijk - Trouw |language=nl |publisher=Trouw.nl |date=2010-03-19 |accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62I1P220100319|title=Dutch lash out at gay link in Srebrenica massacre|publisher=Reuters|author=Ben Berkowitz|date=2010-03-19|accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-22}}</ref> Dutch advocates of gay rights, organized in the ''"[[Pink Army"'']] (foundation) and the [[Stichting Homosexualiteit en Krijgsmacht]] ("Foundation Homosexuality and Armed Forces"), announced a libel lawsuit against Sheehan, demanded public apologies, and for Sheehan to follow sensitivity training.<ref>{{in lang|nl}}[http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6351442/__Homo_s_willen_generaal_voor_rechter__.html "Homostichtingen willen excuses van Sheehan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007164842/http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6351442/__Homo_s_willen_generaal_voor_rechter__.html |date=2012-10-07 }}</ref> The majority of the Dutch parliament voiced their support for the class action.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1362293.ece/Kamer_steunt_excuuseis_generaal_Sheehan "Kamer steunts excuuseis general Sheehan"]</ref>

On March 29, 2010, Dutch media reported that Sheehan had sent an e-mail<ref>[http://content1c.omroep.nl/00411d75bcd43c89c5310dde15431be9/4bb125eb/nos/docs/290310_brief_sheehan.pdf "Email Sheehan to Van den Breemen"]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> to his Dutch colleague General Henk van den Breemen in which he apologized for his comments. He stated that his memory of the conversation was inaccurate.<ref>{{in lang|nl}}[http://nos.nl/artikel/147219-vsgeneraal-sheehan-biedt-excuses-aan.html "VS-general Sheehan apologizes."]</ref>

His decorations and medals include: <center>

| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=AFEMRibArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -72px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Bronze-service-star-3d.pngsvg|18px]]</span><span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -54px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Bronze-service-star-3d.pngsvg|18px]]</span>

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Arctic Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=VietnamVietnamese gallantryGallantry cross-3dCross ribbon.svg|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -81px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award-star-silver-3d.png|27px]]</span><span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -52px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award-star-silver-3d.png|27px]]</span>

|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=VAFHMVietnam ClassArmed 2Forces Honor Medal ribbon-Second Class.pngsvg|width=106}}

|} </center>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] w/ 1 [[oak leaf cluster]]

| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|[[Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic]]

[[Category:BostonMorrissey College of Arts & Sciences alumni]]