James B. Peake
| James Peake | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 6th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |
|
In office December 20, 2007 – January 20, 2009 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Jim Nicholson |
| Succeeded by | Eric Shinseki |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 18, 1944 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education |
United States Military Academy (BS) Cornell University (MD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1966–2004 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant General
|
| Unit | Medical Corps |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Joint Services Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Combat Infantryman Badge Navy Meritorious Unit Award Joint Meritorious Unit Award Senior Parachutist Badge Pathfinder Badge Combat Medical Badge Army Staff Identification Badge |
James Benjamin Peake (born June 18, 1944) was the sixth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, serving from 2007 to 2009. In 2004, he retired from a 38-year United States Army career. He also served as the 40th Surgeon General of the United States Army.
Peake was born in St. Louis, Missouri to a military family. His father began as an enlisted man in the Army, and became an officer who spent most of his 30-year career in the Medical Service Corps. Peake's mother was an Army nurse, and his brother was a naval aviator.
At the age of 18, he set upon his own Army career when he was accepted to West Point. Peake received his Bachelor of Science degree from U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1966 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry. Following service in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division where he was awarded the Silver Star, a Bronze Star with “V” device and the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, Peake entered medical school at Cornell University in New York. He was awarded a medical doctorate in 1972. He retired from the Army in 2004, as a Lieutenant General.
Peake served for four years as the United States Army Surgeon General. He also served as commander of several Army medical units. Previous key assignments include Commander, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School and Installation Commander, Fort Sam Houston; Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Medical Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Commanding General, Madigan Army Medical Center/Northwest Health Service Support Activity, Tacoma, Washington; Commanding General, 44th Medical Brigade/Corps Surgeon, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg; Deputy Director, Professional Services/Chief, Consultant, Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, Virginia; Commander, 18th Medical Command and 121st Evacuation Hospital/Command Surgeon, Seoul, Korea; Deputy Commander for Clinical Services, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii; Assistant Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Staff General Surgeon/Chief, General Surgery Clinic, DeWitt Army Hospital, Fort Belvoir; and General Surgery Resident, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
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