Nov 13, 2019
Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, US Army-Ret.
Veterans Day Remembrances

LTG Ricardo S. Sanchez retired from the U.S. Army in November 2006 after 33 years of service.

His career began as an Armor platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. Other assignments included tours in the United States, Korea, Panama, Germany and the Middle East. He served as a tank battalion commander during Operation Desert Storm; was promoted to Colonel and commanded an armor brigade in the 1st Infantry Division. After promotion to Brigadier General in 1997, he served as the Director of Operations and Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans for U. S. Southern Command. His following assignment was as the Assistant Division Commander, Support, 1st Infantry Division in Germany. During this period, he commanded Multinational Brigade East (TF Falcon) in Kosovo from December 1999 to June 2000. He returned to Germany as the Director of Operations, U.S. Army Europe. In 2001, he assumed command of the 1st Armored Division in Weisbaden Germany and deployed the Division to combat in Iraq in April 2003. In June 2003, he assumed command of V Corps and Combined Joint Task Force 7 with the responsibility to support the Coalition Provisional Authority and lead all Combined military operations in the Iraq theater of war during the U.S. – led occupation of Iraq. He was the longest serving V Corps Commanding General. 

After retirement, General Sanchez provided independent security consulting in Africa, Central America, Mexico and the United States. Since 2012, he has been the Chief Executive Officer of OES (Optech Enterprise Solutions) in San Antonio. 

General Sanchez graduated from Texas A&I University in 1973 and the Naval Post Graduate School in 1983.