Jack Bergman

Jack Bergman
Member-elect of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 1st district
Taking office
January 3, 2017
Succeeding Dan Benishek
Personal details
Born 1946/1947 (age 69–70)[1]
Political party Republican
Alma mater Gustavus Adolphus College
University of West Florida
Command and General Staff College
Syracuse University
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Rhode Island National Guard
Years of service 1969–2009
Rank Lieutenant General
Unit HMM-261
HMM-164
HML-776
VMGR-234
Commands VMGR-452
Mobilization Station, Chicago
II MEF Augmentation Command Element
4th MAW
4th FSSG
Marine Forces Reserve
Marine Forces North

John W. "Jack" Bergman (born 1946/1947) is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general and the member-elect for Michigan's 1st congressional district. He served as commanding general of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. He also served as a naval aviator, flying rotary-winged aircraft such as the CH-46 and UH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the T-28 and KC-130. A Republican, he was elected to the U.S. House in the 2016 election.[2][3]

Early life and education

Bergman received his undergraduate degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1969. He earned an M.B.A. degree from the University of West Florida. His formal military education includes Naval Aviation Flight Training, Amphibious Warfare, Command & Staff, Landing Force Staff Planning (MEB & ACE), Reserve Component National Security, Naval War College Strategy & Policy, Syracuse University National Security Seminar, Combined Forces Air Component Command, LOGTECH, and CAPSTONE.

Military career

Bergman was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1969 under the Platoon Leader School program after his college gradation.

He flew CH-46 helicopters with HMM-261 at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina and with HMM-164 in Okinawa, Japan and the Republic of Vietnam.

Assigned as a flight instructor, he flew the T-28 with VT-6, NAS Whiting Field, Florida. He left active duty in 1975 and flew UH-1 helicopters with the Rhode Island National Guard, Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

Following a 1978 civilian employment transfer to Chicago, Illinois, he served in several 4th Marine Aircraft Wing units at NAS Glenview, Illinois. (HML-776, flying the UH-1; VMGR-234, flying the KC-130; and Mobilization Training Unit IL-1).

He was selected to stand up the second KC-130 squadron in 4th MAW and, in 1988, became the first Commanding Officer, VMGR-452, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, New York. From 1992 to 1994 he commanded Mobilization Station, Chicago — the largest of the 47 Marine Corps Mobilization Stations.

During 1995, he served as a Special Staff Officer at Marine Corps Reserve Support Command, Overland Park, Kansas. In 1996, he became Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander, I Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Camp Pendleton, California. In late 1997, he transferred to 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters, New Orleans, Louisiana to serve as Assistant Chief of Staff/G-1. Promoted to Brigadier General, he became Deputy Commander, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.

Transferred in June 1998 to Headquarters, Marine Forces Europe, Stuttgart, Germany, he served as Deputy Commander. Recalled to active duty from April to July 1999, he was dual-hatted as EUCOM, Deputy J-3A. He then commanded II Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina until assuming command of 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2000.

In September 2002, he assumed command of the 4th Force Service Support Group, New Orleans, Louisiana. He, also, served as Chairman of the Secretary of the Navy’s Marine Corps Reserve Policy Board from 2001 to 2003.

Returning to active duty in October 2003, he served as Director, Reserve Affairs, Quantico, Virginia.

He began his final assignment, command of Marine Forces Reserve/Marine Forces North, on June 10, 2005. He relinquished that command in October 2009, and retired from active duty in December of that year.

2016 U.S. House campaign

Bergman won the Republican primary in Michigan's 1st congressional district in August 2016. He defeated Democratic nominee Lon Johnson and Libertarian nominee Diane Bostow in the November 2016 general election.[3] Bergman, who will succeed retiring Republican Representative Dan Benishek, won 55% of the vote to Johnson's 40% and Bostow's 4%.[4][5]

Awards and decorations

Bergman's military awards include:

Medals and ribbons

Bronze star
Bronze star
Silver star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Naval Aviator Badge Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Distinguished Service Medal (US Navy)[6] Defense Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal w/ valor device and Strike/Flight numeral "1" Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Navy Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 2 service stars Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal w/ 1 service star National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 service stars
Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 service stars Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 service star Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ bronze & gold Hourglass Devices
Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ bronze star Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation Vietnam Civil Actions unit citation Vietnam Campaign Medal

References

  1. ↑ http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/17/retired-marine-congress-michigan/80527200/
  2. ↑ Livengood, Chad (2016-01-14). "Retired U.P. Marine files for GOP congressional primary". Detroitnews.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  3. 1 2 Gibbons, Lauren (August 2, 2016). "Jack Bergman victorious in 1st Congressional District Republican primary". MLive. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Michigan U.S. House 1st District Results: Jack Bergman Wins". The New York Times. November 15, 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  5. ↑ Bennett, John (November 9, 2016). "New Member: GOP's Jack Bergman Claims Michigan's 1st District". Roll Call. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Valor Awards for John W. Bergman". Military Times. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
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