Luck, Gary

GEN, USA (Ret)

Gary Luck is employed as a Senior Fellow for the National Defense University in support of the Pinnacle, Capstone, and Keystone programs.

He was born in Alma, Michigan and grew up in Fort Scott, Kansas.  Upon graduation from Kansas State University in 1961, he was designated a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Regular Army. 

Major assignments included:  Commander, D Company 3/69 Armor, 25th Infantry Division; two tours in the Republic of Vietnam as “A” Team Commander (A411), 5th Special Forces, and a tour in the Republic of Vietnam as Commander, C Troop 3/17 Air Cavalry Squadron; Commander 182nd Assault Helicopter Company, Fort Bragg; Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs); Commander 2/17 Air Cavalry Squadron and Division G-3, 101st Airborne Division; Chief of the Force Modernization Division, U.S. Army Europe; and Commander, 2nd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division.
General Luck also held a variety of additional important command and staff positions including: Chief of Staff, 8th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Europe; Director, Force Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, HQ Department of the Army; Assistant Division Commander, 101st Airborne Division; Commanding General, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; Commanding General XVIII Airborne Corps during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm; and Commander in Chief of Combined Forces Command and Commander of US Forces, Korea in the Republic of Korea. General Luck retired in 1996.

General Luck attended numerous military schools and courses, to include:  the Armor Basic and Advanced Officer courses, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the United States Army War College.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Kansas State University, a Master’s from Florida State University and a Doctorate in Business Administration (ORSA) from George Washington University.

His awards and decorations include:  Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Distinguished Flying Cross (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart, Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit “Cheonsu Medal,” King Faisal Award- Class Two, Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal - 1st Class, the French Officer de la Legion d’Honneur Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medals with “V” Device, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Senior Army Aviation Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, and the Army Staff Identification Badge. 

Gary Luck is married to the former Leah Patrick and he has two children, Skip and Kim.