Michael T. Franken

Michael Thane Franken (born November 8, 1957) is a retired United States Navy vice admiral.[1] His final posting was as Deputy Director of Military Operations for the United States Africa Command. In 2020, Franken ran in an attempt to be the Democratic nominee in that year's Senate election in Iowa, but lost the June 2 primary to Theresa Greenfield.

Mike Franken
Personal details
Born (1957-11-08) November 8, 1957
Sioux Center, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Jordan Franken
​
(m. 1989)​
Alma materUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln (BS)
Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
AwardsNavy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (2)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1978–2017
RankVice Admiral
CommandsTask Group 152.0
Destroyer Squadron 28
USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81)
Battles/warsGulf War

Franken attended Morningside College and attended the Naval Science Institute before graduating on an ROTC scholarship from the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska and entering the United States Navy in 1981.[2] He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School's college of physics, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Seminar XXI, the University of Virginia school of executive education, the Brookings Institute's legislative affairs curriculum, and Babson College's business leadership program. His early operational assignments were in guided missile destroyers.[2]

Franken was the first commanding officer of USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). He previously served on the USS King (DDG-41), USS Dahlgren (DDG-43) and USS Barry (DDG-52). As commodore, he commanded Destroyer Squadron 28 and Task Group 152.0 for the Eisenhower Strike Group.[1] Franken also served as the United States Africa Command's deputy for military operations, the United States Central Command's flag officer responsible for plans and strategy for three years, the chief of staff at U.S. Third Fleet, and as executive assistant to Commander, Fleet Forces Command.[3]

From 2011 to 2012, Franken commanded the joint task force (CJTF-HOA) in Djibouti, Africa, responsible for the U.S. military activity throughout East Africa and in the islands of the Indian Ocean.

In Washington, D.C., he served a fellowship in congressional affairs for the Office of the Secretary of the Navy; as the political-military chair in the Chief of Naval Operations' Executive Panel, in Navy's Plans and Strategy Deep Blue staff; in the Assessments Division in support of Navy's representation in the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and in the Joint Staff's Joint Operations Division overseeing U.S. Pacific Command operations. He presented the worldwide orders book to Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from 2003 to 2005 and was the first military officer to serve as a legislative fellow for Senator Ted Kennedy.[4]

Starting in January 2015, Franken was the first director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency when it was created through the merger of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, and parts of the Air Force's Life Sciences Lab.[5] The Defense POW/MIA Accounting agency is an 800-person defense agency which oversees the location and retrieval of the remains of American veterans of foreign wars.[2]

2020 U.S. Senate election in Iowa
Main article: 2020 United States Senate election in Iowa

On August 26, 2019, Franken announced that he would be running for the Democratic Party nomination for United States Senate in Iowa for the seat held by Joni Ernst, a member of the Republican Party. [6][7]

Franken was one of a number of Democrats who competed in the primary election held on June 2. The winner, Theresa Greenfield, lost to incumbent Ernst in the November 3 general election.

Personal life

Franken was born the youngest of nine children in rural Sioux County, Iowa. His father was a machinist and blacksmith. His mother was a school teacher. He joined the navy at age 22 at the urging of an older brother.[8]

In 1989, Franken married his wife, Jordan. Together they have two children.[9] Franken lives in downtown Sioux City, Iowa.

References
  1. "VICE ADMIRAL MICHAEL T. FRANKEN". US Navy. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  2. Wielenga, Renee (2 September 2017). "Naval officer retires from military". The N'West Iowa REVIEW. Iowa Information Publishers and Printers. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  3. "Franken nominated to take over AFRICOM post". Stars and Stripes. March 25, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  4. "Navy.mil Leadership Biographies". www.navy.mil. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  5. "Statement from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Personnel Accountin". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  6. Harris, Eli (September 4, 2019). "Retired U.S. Navy admiral seeks Democratic nod for Senate in race against Joni Ernst". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  7. Pfannenstiel, Brianne (August 26, 2019). "Retired Navy Admiral Michael Franken to run for U.S. Senate, challenge Joni Ernst". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  8. [email protected], JARED McNETT. "A conversation with U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken". Globe Gazette | Mason City, Iowa | globegazette.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  9. Wielenga, Renee. "Naval officer retires from military". The N'West Iowa REVIEW. Retrieved 2020-05-14.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Navy document: "VICE ADMIRAL MICHAEL T. FRANKEN".

Military offices
Preceded by
Steven A. Hummer		 Deputy Commander of the United States Africa Command
2015–2017		 Succeeded by
James C. Vechery
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