General (Ret.) John Coburn

Biography

General John G. Coburn served as the 14th Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) from May 14, 1999 to October 30, 2001. He became the fourth Ordnance 4-star General Officer in United States Army history.

Major initiatives:

-Instituted the fleet-based recapitalization program
-Promoted AMC as the “one stop logistics for the soldier”
-Implemented a fellowship program for professionals and an intern program for industrial skills
-Championed the Single Stock Fund
-Assumed oversight and integration authority for the Global Combat Support System – Army
-Initiated the Prototype Integrated Facility (PIF) Concept
-Initiated the Depot Partnership Program
-Turned AMC’s “Face to the field” by establishing Logistics Centers of Excellence throughout the Army, and implemented effectiveness-based reorganizations in the field and at Headquarters
-Developed the Bosnia Technology Integration Cell to enhance the command's support to forces deployed to Bosnia
-Established the Industrial Operations Command to manage the Army's arsenals, depots, and war reserve stocks
-Supported Force XXI initiatives in the areas of equipment, techniques and systems

He graduated from Eastern Michigan University and was commissioned in 1962. General Coburn's military education includes attendance at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. His civilian education includes a Master’s degree from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor’s degree from the University of Missouri. He is licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court, State of Kentucky; Supreme Court, State of Michigan; U.S. Military Court of Appeals; District of Colombia, Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.

During the course of his career, General Coburn served in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Germany and variety of stateside assignments, including a tour as Commander of the 124th Maintenance Battalion, Ft. Hood, Texas and the 2nd Armored Division Support Command, Ft. Hood, Texas. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, U.S. Army Europe, Chief of Ordnance and Commanding General of the Ordnance Center and School, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command, and Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics responsible for policy, planning, programming, budgeting, management, staff supervision, evaluation, oversight and information system support for all of the logistics activities of the Department of the Army.

His awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. General Coburn retired on December 1, 2001. He was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 2002.

General Coburn is the author of numerous articles and serves on numerous boards. He has been the Chairman and CEO of VT Systems, a multi-national company headquartered in Alexandria, VA since his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2001.