Colonel Bruce B.G. Clarke, U.S. Army (Retired), spent thirty years on active duty holding significant operational, tactical and strategic positions. In 2000, he foundedBruce Clarke Consultants, Inc. (BCC) The members of BCC work with U.S., European and Middle Eastern companies on national security matters, military modernization and integrating advanced technology into military operations.
Following his retirement from active duty in 1995, he was the Training Manager at the Royal Saudi Land Forces Armored Institute in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia where he led a 100 man team on fielding and training Saudi armor officers and soldiers on the M1A2 main battle tank. Colonel Clarke then engaged his entrepreneurial side as director of government and military accounts for QuVis, a start-up next generation video compression and transmission technology company. He continues to share his expertise with emerging companies as an advisor to Rockhill Partners, an early-stage venture capital partnership.
His command experience includes units from a 40 man platoon to a 5,000 man brigade. He commanded 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized); 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment where his troopers were responsible for patrolling over 150 kilometers of the East-West German border and A Troop (Airborne/Mechanized), 3d Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division.
As a young captain, he served as a district advisor in the Republic of Vietnam. As the only American officer who fought in Khe Sanh village before the siege, commanded part of the perimeter at the combat base during the siege, and then helped plan Operation Pegasus, the relief operation, he has a unique perspective on one of the pivotal battles of the Vietnam War. Colonel Clarke writes about his experiences in the recently published book Expendable Warriors from Stackpole Books. Video interviews of Colonel Clarke and his Vietnamese counterpart, Major Tinh-A-Nhi, reflecting on their experiences at Khe Sanh can be viewed here.
In addition to his extensive operational and tactical experience, Colonel Clarke was the senior uniformed officer in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in the U.S. State Department during the Reagan Administration. He was also involved in the Reagan-Carter Presidential transition and was a member of the Army Staff at the Pentagon.
As an academic, Colonel Clarke was the Director of National Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College where he held the General Dwight D. Eisenhower Chair in National Security. During this period, he published extensively on military modernization and helped shape the work on conflict termination studies. Earlier in his career, he taught in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Colonel Clarke is a 1965 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of California – Los Angeles. He is also a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the National War College. Colonel Clarke was a member of MIT’s Center for International Studies’ Seminar II.
Colonel Clarke’s numerous military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with V for heroism in ground combat, the Army Commendation medal with V for valor, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachute Badge, the Ranger Tab and numerous foreign awards and commendations for valor.
Colonel Clarke is a native of Wichita, Kansas. He and his wife Sue split their time between homes in Topeka, Kansas; Wichita, Kansas and Fullerton, California. The Clarke’s children are Suzanne Clarke Zurn and her husband Melvin Zurn of Reston, Virginia; Robert Clarke of Wichita; and James Clarke and his wife Dr. Jennifer Svetlecic of Kansas City, Missouri. They are fortunate to have three grandsons—Alexander Joseph Clarke, Philip Arthur Zurn, Matthew Gorham Svetlecic Clarke; and one granddaughter Katherine Corrine Svetlecic Clarke.
Photo Gallery
Bruce B.G. Clarke 