It is that time again and we are underway with our preparations for this year's reunion at Knox Hall in Waco, TX! The reunion is held each year in honor of the retired Rangers and their families, and is hosted by the Texas Rangers Association Foundation. There is truly something for everyone. Whether it is the ladies gift exchange Saturday afternoon, the 20th Annual Captain Bill Wilson Memorial Golf Tournament at Battle Lake Golf Course Friday morning, or an ongoing raffle or silent auction the entire weekend that features some unique and excellent items, there will be something that will warrant your interest. All the proceeds for these events and activities go towards raising funds for the TRAF scholarship program and helping Ranger families in times of need.
Over the weekend along with the many events and activities that take place, we also have a guest speaker. Saturday evening the guest speaker for this year's reunion is Lieutenant General (Ret) Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq and was the highest-ranking Hispanic in the Unites States Army as of November 2, 2006, when he retired.
Born into a poor family in the Rio Grande City, Texas, LTG Sanchez studied hard throughout school. He spent one year at the University of Texas at Austin on an ROTC scholarship, eventually transferring to Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) in Kingsville, Texas, where he graduated in 1973 with a double major in math and history. LTG Sanchez was named "Distinguished Military Graduate" of his graduating class and was offered a Regular Army commission as a second lieutenant.
Shortly after graduation, he was commissioned into the Army, becoming a paratrooper platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne Division stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He received promotions swiftly and was stationed all over the United States, in Korea, Panama and Germany. In 1991, then-Lieutenant Colonel Sanchez served as a battalion commander during Operation Desert Storm, successfully leading his battalion to Basra without losing any men. Shortly after the Gulf War, LTC Sanchez was promoted to colonel and given command of the 2nd brigade of the 1st Infantry Division. Afterwards, he served on the staff of U.S. Southern Command, first as deputy chief of staff then as director of operations. On July 10, 2001 he became commanding general of V Corps' 1st Armored Division. He held that position for nearly two years before assuming command of the entire corps on June 14, 2003. On this date, he also became commander of coalition ground forces in the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.
LTG Sanchez held the top military position in Iraq during what was arguably one of the most critical periods of the war - the year after the fall of Hussein regime, and the time the insurgency took root and began its counterattack. Highlights during his tenure as commander in Iraq include the killing of Uday and Qusay Hussein, and the capture of Saddam Hussein.
LTG Sanchez relinquished command of the V Corps in Germany on September 6, 2006 in a ceremony at Campbell Barracks. He concluded his 33-year army career with a grand retirement ceremony at Fort Sam Houston on 1 November 2006.
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