Erie County Times

Gannon University Athletics issued the following announcement on Mar. 18.

Maj. Gen. David J. Francis addresses ROTC cadets at Gannon.

Major General David J. Francis ’89 returned to Gannon University to visit with students in the Pride of PA ROTC Battalion on the university’s Erie campus on March 16.

Maj. Gen. Francis spent the morning in physical training with cadets before delivering a presentation where he shared with cadets about his own experience in becoming commanding general in the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence.

Francis was commissioned from Gannon ROTC in 1989 before continuing his education at the Aviation Officer Basic Course and flight school, graduating in 1990. From there he served in a series of commands and staff positions with the U.S. Army with deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, among others. Francis most recently served in leadership roles with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., transitioning to his current position as commanding general in 2019. 

Francis attributed much of his success to the preparation in Gannon’s ROTC program.

“We do a lot of leadership development in the ROTC program, but what Gannon provides is much broader in terms of your character, your faith and your intellect, and that has helped me throughout my career,” Francis told cadets. 

“The leadership of the ROTC program here and the environment that Gannon provides allows you to explore the challenges that you’re going to face – whether that be physical challenges, leadership challenges, or even questions about national security challenges,” he added. 

Maj. Gen. Francis emphasized to cadets the opportunities available to them in the Army.

“As you’re contemplating what your future looks like, I would tell you that the opportunities in the Army are far and wide. We have Army aviators who decided after a tour that they wanted to be a lawyer or a doctor, and the Army paid for them to do that. Or they wanted to be an officer and go work in foreign countries to do all kinds of exciting things out there. …The options are absolutely limitless.”

Maj. Gen. Francis also used his presentation to teach cadets about key values needed to serve in the Army. He emphasized certain virtues – like trust – as being equally important as professional military education.

“What we do at the end of the day is put our lives in the hands of the persons who are to our left and to our right, and they put their lives in yours,” he said. “It’s really important for you to understand that. …As you move into your Army career, the one thing that is really hard to gain and easy to lose is trust. You have to earn that trust and you have to continue to earn it every single day.”

Sophomore Cadet Ian Sanchez said it was valuable to hear from Maj. Gen. Francis.

“It was very interesting. It’s always good to have experienced men like Maj. Gen. Francis give advice to the next generation,” Sanchez said.

Senior Cadet Victor Rohrbacker agreed. “It’s interesting to hear what a two-star commanding general has to say, especially one who came from Gannon himself,” he said.

Following the presentation, Maj. Gen. Francis engaged cadets in a Q&A session followed by a brief ceremony to honor certain cadets who have shown exemplary commitment to ROTC.

Gannon University held a brief ceremony inducting Maj. Gen. Francis as the ninth member of the Gannon ROTC General Officer Wall commemorating all the graduates of the Gannon ROTC program who have achieved the rank of general officer.

Maj. Gen. Francis concluded the event with a heartfelt thank you to cadets.

“I want to thank you for raising your right hand that is guarding the uniform that you’re wearing today. To say yes, I will serve something bigger than myself that is absolutely vital to the national interests of the United States of America and to be a part of a team that’s unlike any other,” he said.

Lt. Col. LaFountain said it was an honor to host Maj. Gen. Francis here at Gannon.

“It is a rare opportunity for cadets to get the chance to interact directly with our Army senior leaders and we are incredibly appreciative of the time he was able to spend here with our cadets," he said. "The insights and perspective Maj. Gen. Francis provided from his years of experience will go a long way toward the growth and development of our cadets as they continue their path to becoming Army Officers and future leaders." 

Following the event, Maj. Gen. visited with members of Gannon leadership and alumni before visiting with Erie High School students and local recruitment offices.

About Major General David. J. Francis:

Major General David J. Francis is a native of Pennsylvania and received his commission from Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania.

Maj. Gen. Francis has served in a series of command and staff positions.

After graduation from the Aviation Officer Basic Course and flight school in 1990, he served as an Assault Helicopter Platoon Leader and Infantry Liaison Officer in the 2nd Battalion (Assault), 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Stanley, Korea. He then completed the Aviation Officer Advanced Course and proceeded to Ft. Bragg, NC to serve as an Assault Helicopter Platoon Leader, Battalion Flight Operations Officer, Battalion Adjutant and Assault Helicopter Company Commander in 2nd Battalion (Assault), 82nd Aviation Brigade.

After company command, he served as an Assault Helicopter Company Trainer and S3 Trainer at National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, CA from 1996 to 1998. From 1998 to 2001, he served as a Small Group Instructor, Aviation Captain’s Career Course and Battalion S3, 1-145th Aviation Regiment, Ft. Rucker, AL.

From 2002 to 2004, he served as a Battalion Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion (Assault), 25th Aviation Regiment, Wheeler Army Airfield, HI and Task Force S3, Task Force Diamondhead, Kandahar, Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. Francis assumed duties as the Joint Task Force Wings (25th Aviation Brigade) S3 in 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From June 2005 to 2007, he served as the Chief of Joint Task Force Certification, J7, United States Pacific Command at Camp Smith, HI. 

From December 2007 to October 2010, Maj. Gen. Francis commanded 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Task Force Diamondhead, and completed a combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

From October 2010 until June 2011, he served as the Chief of Staff, 25th Infantry Division Rear at Schofield Barracks, HI. MG Francis attended the U.S. Army War College from July 2011 to June 2012. He then commanded the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade from July 2012 to May 2014 and deployed the Brigade to Regional Command East, Afghanistan in support of OEF.

From May 2014 to June 2016, he served as the Deputy Commander for the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Ft. Rucker, AL. From June 2016 to 2017, he served as the Deputy Commanding General (Support), 2nd Infantry Division (Combined), Eighth Army, Republic of Korea. MG Francis was the Commanding General, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center/Director of Army Safety at Ft. Rucker, AL from June 2017 to 2018. He most recently served as the Director, Army Aviation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7 in Washington, DC.

Maj. Gen. Francis holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Gannon University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Touro University, and a Master in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He is a graduate of the Aviation Officer Basic Course, the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, the Jumpmaster Course, the Aviation Officer Advanced Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.

His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with Numeral 2, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Superior Unit Award, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Service Medal. He has also earned the Combat Action Badge, the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Maj. Gen. Francis and his wife, Jodie, have seven children and five grandchildren.

Original source can be found here.