Gustave F. Perna
Perna in 2016
Born (1960-04-15) April 15, 1960 (age 64)[1]
Rockaway, New Jersey[1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1981–2021
RankGeneral
Commands heldUnited States Army Materiel Command
Joint Munitions Command
Defense Supply Center Philadelphia
4th Sustainment Brigade
64th Forward Support Battalion
Battles/warsIraq War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (4)
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (2)

Gustave F. Perna (born April 15, 1960)[1] is a retired United States Army four-star general who last served as the chief operating officer of the federal COVID-19 response for vaccine and therapeutics. He previously served as the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed from July 2020 until the operation's duties and responsibilities were transferred to the White House COVID-19 Response Team in February 2021. As chief operating officer of COVID-19 response, he oversaw the logistics in the United States federal government's distribution of the vaccine to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The Senate confirmed his nomination as chief operating officer on July 2, 2020,[3][4] and he assumed the office shortly after.[5]

Perna previously served as the 19th commanding general of United States Army Materiel Command from September 30, 2016 to July 2, 2020. He also served for two years as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, overseeing policies and procedures used by all United States Army logistic personnel throughout the world. Prior to joining the Army staff he served for two years as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/4, United States Army Materiel Command.[6]

Perna retired from the Army on July 2, 2021 after over 40 years of service.[7]

Early life and education

Born in Rockaway, New Jersey, Perna is a New Jersey native who attended Morris Hills High School, before graduating from Valley Forge Military Academy and College with an associate degree in business administration.[1] Graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, infantry officer in 1981 via the Early Commissioning Program from Valley Forge.[8] He earned a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology (1992). His military education includes: Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ordnance Officer Advanced Course, Logistics Executive Development Course, Support Operations Course, Command and General Staff College and Senior Service College.[6]

Military career

Perna's command assignments include:

Perna's staff assignments include:

Perna's nomination for promotion to commanding general of the United States Army Materiel Command (AMC) was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 15, 2016.[9] He assumed command on September 30, 2016.[6] In March 2020, his deputy Lieutenant General Edward M. Daly was confirmed as his successor at AMC.[10] In May 2020, Perna was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the White House's Operation Warp Speed effort to quickly develop a COVID-19 vaccine.[11][12] In June 2020, he was nominated to continue serving as an Army general in the position of COO, and was confirmed the next month by the Senate.[3]

After retirement

According to Politico's "National Security Daily" newsletter of 27 October 2022, "Retired Gen. GUSTAVE PERNA will serve as chief operating officer of DEFCON AI, a startup that will bring artificial intelligence to defense logistics."[citation needed]

Awards and decorations

Perna's military awards include:[13]

Basic Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
4th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
Army Ordnance Corps Distinctive Unit Insignia
5 Overseas Service Bars
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Superior Unit Award
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
United Nations Medal (for UNOSOM mission in Somalia)
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia

References

  1. ^ a b c d Gen. Gustave F. Perna, New Jersey Hall of Fame. Accessed May 11, 2023. "Born: April 15, 1960, in Rockaway, New Jersey"
  2. ^ Rempfer, Kyle (May 19, 2020). "Army 4-star will co-lead Manhattan Project-style effort to create and distribute COVID-19 vaccine". ArmyTimes. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "PN1972 — Gen. Gustave F. Perna — Army". Congress.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  4. ^ "Department of Defense Statement on Gen. Gustave Perna's Confirmation". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  5. ^ Thacker, Paul (July 7, 2020). "The Sketchy Past of Trump's Coronavirus Vaccine Czar". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e "General Gustave F. Perna: Commanding General" (PDF). U.S. Army Materiel Command. Retrieved 27 May 2018. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ Riley Griffin; Josh Wingrove (2021-06-29). "Perna Retiring From Covid Task Force as U.S. Response Shifts". Bloomberg News.
  8. ^ "Valley Forge Military Academy & College". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-12-21. VFMC Class of 1981 alumni, U.S. Army Major Gen. Gustave F. Perna has been nominated by President Barack Obama for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general.
  9. ^ "PN1668 – Lt. Gen. Gustave F. Perna – Army". U.S. Congress. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
  10. ^ "PN1541 — Lt. Gen. Edward M. Daly — Army". U.S. Congress. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  11. ^ Smith, David (2020-05-15). "Trump unveils 'warp-speed' effort to create coronavirus vaccine by year's end". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  12. ^ Crisp, Elizabeth (2020-05-15). "Trump launches "operation warp speed" effort to develop coronavirus vaccine by year's end". Newsweek. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  13. ^ "Lieutenant General Gustave F. Perna, U.S. Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4" (PDF). Army.mil. Retrieved 2020-12-13.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gustave F. Perna.
Military offices Preceded byRaymond V. Mason Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics of United States Army 2014–2016 Succeeded byAundre F. Piggee Preceded byDennis L. Via Commander of United States Army Materiel Command 2016–2020 Succeeded byEdward M. Daly New title Chief Operating Officer, Operation Warp Speed 2020-2021 Office abolished New title Chief Operating Officer, COVID-19 Response for Vaccine and Therapeutics 2021 Office abolished
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
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