COL Danny McKnight will partner with OS91

Last evening Ed and I had dinner with COL Danny McKnight and his wonderful wife, Linda. What a privilege! We spent four hours together and Danny will help Operation Safety 91 move forward in its mission of Honoring and Protecting America's Protectors. Linda gave a donation to OS91 for the Psalm 91 cards.

  

COL Danny McKnight retired in January 2002 after serving 28 ½ years in a distinguished and highly decorated career as a U.S. Army Ranger. His experience represents a lifetime of dedication to the defense of America. 

COL McKnight'’s final assignment was as the Chief of Staff for First Army, based at Fort Gillem, Georgia. His efforts as the Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment elements assigned to Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia were chronicled in the book Black Hawk Down and the movie by the same name.  

In addition to his expertise in many military matters, highlights of his skills in the leadership and management aspects of his career include: 

• Providing direct financial management, guidance, and oversight of an annual

operational budget of approximately $50 million. 

  

• Developing a strategic planning concept and a measurable results program to

track its successful implementation for the integration of active and reserve

component soldiers as part of the Army’s training strategy for the year 2000

and beyond.  

  

• Directing a staff of more than 200 military and DA civilian personnel to

provide support for a field force of 10,000 people, who had to meet the

training requirements for approximately 250,000 reserve component

soldiers.  

COL McKnight also has had extensive experience in the areas of communications, public affairs, and emergency management.  

COL McKnight’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Two Oak Leaf Clusters; Bronze Star for Valor; Purple Heart; Meritorious Service medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead and Bronze Star; Combat Infantryman’s Badge; Ranger Tab; Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star; and Pathfinder Badge.  

He graduated from the U.S. Army War College, Air Command and Staff College, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Ranger School, Airborne School, and Infantry Officer Basic Course. He also served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science in the University of Florida Army ROTC Department. 

COL McKnight earned his Master’s Degree in Higher Education and Administration from the University of Florida in 1985, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Florida State University in 1973.