John R. D'Araujo, Jr.

John R. D'Araujo, Jr.
D'Araujo as an official of FEMA, 2006
Nickname(s)	Jack
Born	February 24, 1943 Pepeekeo, Hawaii, United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1960–1995
Rank	Major General
Unit	Hawaii National Guard Army National Guard
Commands held	103rd Troop Command 29th Infantry Brigade Director, Army National Guard Acting Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal Combat Infantryman Badge
Other work	Executive, Federal Emergency Management Agency Consultant, homeland defense issues

John R. D'Araujo, Jr. is a retired United States Army major general who served as Director of the Army National Guard and an official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He is the first Filipino American to achieve the rank of major general.^[1]

Early life

John Robert D'Araujo, Jr. ("Jack") was born in Pepeekeo, Hawaii on February 24, 1943, and enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 1960. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Hilo in 1962 and attended the University of Hawaii. He received his commission in 1963 after completing Officer Candidate School.^[2]

Start of military career

D'Araujo served in a variety of command and staff assignments, primarily in the 29th Infantry Brigade. In 1968 and 1969 he deployed to Vietnam during the Vietnam War as commander of a Mobile Advisory Team.^[3]

Upon returning to Hawaii D'Araujo continued his military career, including serving as Commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard's Troop Command and United States Property and Fiscal Officer for Guam.^[4]

D'Araujo completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Regents College (now Excelsior College), the University of the State of New York. He also graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and is a 1981 graduate of the United States Army War College.^[5]

Later military career

D'Araujo being promoted to brigadier general.

In 1983 D'Araujo was selected to serve as Senior Army National Guard Advisor for the Commander of U.S. Army Mobilization and Readiness Region III.^[6] He subsequently carried out an assignment at the National Guard Bureau as Chief of the Mobilization Readiness Division,^[7] followed by assignment as Chief of the National Guard Bureau's Training Division.^[8]

In June, 1987 D'Araujo was appointed Assistant Adjutant General – Army for the Hawaii National Guard. He served in this position until 1990, when he was named Deputy Director of the Army National Guard.^[9]

In 1993 D'Araujo was named Director of the Army National Guard, and was succeeded as Deputy Director by William C. Bilo. He served in this position until retiring from the military in 1995.^[10]

FEMA

After retiring from the military D'Araujo was employed as a consultant, and worked in the areas of homeland defense and military policy for the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense.^[11]

From 2002 to 2007 he worked for FEMA, including Assistant Director of the Readiness, Response and Recovery Directorate and Director of FEMA's Recovery Division.^[12]

Since 2007 he has continued to work as an independent consultant on defense and homeland security issues.^[13]

References

1. Gaco-Escalera, Tech Sgt. Catherine (15 May 2009). "What Asian American Pacific Heritage Month means to me". Kaiserslautern American. Retrieved 18 August 2014. That includes those who are well-known and famous who worked to shatter the stereotypes against us, like Filipino-American Maj. Gen. John R. D’Araujo Jr., the first Filipino-American to hold the rank of major general and the first to hold that position, and Sgt. LeRoy A. Mendonca, who was posthumously presented a Medal of Honor for gallantry in repulsing the enemy in Chichon, Korea.
   "Asian/Pacific American Military Timeline". Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014. Maj. Gen. John R. D'Araujo Jr. became the first Filipino-American to be hold the rank of major general and the position of director of the Army National Guard Bureau.
2. National Guard Bureau, On Guard magazine, Hawaii's Brig. Gen. John R. D'Araujo, Jr. is Named Deputy Director, Army National Guard, November, 1990, page 1
3. U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Hearing Record, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1996, Biographical sketch, John R. D'Araujo, Jr., 1995, page 94
4. National Guard Bureau, On Guard magazine, Hawaii's Brig. Gen. John R. D'Araujo, Jr. is Named Deputy Director, Army National Guard, November, 1990, page 1
5. U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Hearing Record, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1996, Biographical sketch, John R. D'Araujo, Jr., 1995, page 94
6. National Guard Bureau, On Guard magazine, Hawaii's Brig. Gen. John R. D'Araujo, Jr. is Named Deputy Director, Army National Guard, November, 1990, page 1
7. Susan B. Gall, Irène Natividad, The Asian-American Almanac, 1995, page 391
8. U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Hearing Record, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1996, Biographical sketch, John R. D'Araujo, Jr., 1995, page 94
9. National Guard Bureau, On Guard magazine, Hawaii's Brig. Gen. John R. D'Araujo, Jr. is Named Deputy Director, Army National Guard, November, 1990, page 1
10. Secretary of the Army, Memorandum Number: No. 190-M, September 1, 1995
11. U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Statement of John R. D’Araujo before the Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, April 24, 2007
12. Gregg K. Kakesako, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Former Big Island Resident Chosen to Help Lead Federal Disaster Response Efforts, July 14, 2002
13. Shipley Associates, Biography, John R. D'Araujo, Jr., 2009, page 2