Page created by: McGuinness Family

John W. "Jack" McGuinness was born in 1938 in Providence Rhode Island. He served our Nation's military for over 30 years. He was drafted into the US Army in 1961 and ultimately retired as a colonel. He continued to serve beyond retirement as the Advisor to His Highness Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, for over 20 years. While on active duty he served with 1st Special Forces Group working in the Southeast Asia Prisoner Recovery Program, Military Assistance Command Special Operations Group, and as the Executive Officer for Recondo (Long Range Reconnaissance) of the 5th Special Forces Group. He returned a second time to Southeast Asia and served in Special Project 404 as a military advisor to the neutralist forces in the Kingdom of Laos. Highlights of his follow-on assignments included the first commander of the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division and the first Brigade Commander of the 207th MI Brigade in Germany. But it is during his time in Southeast Asia where he was exposed to Agent Orange leading to his diagnosis in 2009. "Cactus Jack" lost the battle with "Mr. Parkinson's" as he called it, passing on May 21, 2016 from complications associated with Parkinson's disease.

Jack's love of family and friends, his steadfast loyalty to his Nation and those he worked for and with, but most of all - his absolute unceasing positive attitude and terrific sense of humor are how we will remember him. Thank you for being the person you were - you will be sorely missed.