John W. Bergman

Jack W. Bergman
Allegiance	United States of America
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 held	VMGR-452 Mobilization Station, Chicago II MEF Augmentation Command Element 4th MAW 4th FSSG Marine Forces Reserve Marine Forces North

John W. "Jack" Bergman is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who 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, T-28, and UH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the KC-130. Bergman announced in April 2016 that he is running for the Republican nomination for Michigan's 1st congressional district in the 2016 election.^[1]

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.

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.

Awards and decorations

Bergman's military awards include:

Medals and ribbons

Naval Aviator Badge

Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

Distinguished Service Medal (US Navy)[2]

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. 12:28 p.m. EDT April 12, 2016 (2016-01-14). "Retired U.P. Marine files for GOP congressional primary". Detroitnews.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
2. "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.

• "Official Biography:Lieutenant General John W. Bergman". Biographies: General Officers & Senior Executives. Manpower & Reserve Affairs, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
• "Commander's Biography: Lieutenant General John W. Bergman". Marine Forces Reserve. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved January 7, 2009.

External links

• Bergman, John W. (March 30, 2006). "Statement of Lieutenant General Jack W. Bergman, United States Marine Corps Reserve, Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Personnel Subcommittee" (PDF). Retrieved January 7, 2009.