Pete Geren
A Texas Democrat who navigated from the House floor to the Pentagon, serving as a steady hand leading the Army during the Iraq War surge.
Born 1952 (age 74)·American attorney and politician·Birthday: January 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pete Geren's career is a study in thoughtful, institutional service. A Fort Worth native with deep Texas roots, he practiced law before stepping into the political arena, winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. For over a decade, he represented his district with a low-key, pragmatic style. His deep interest in defense policy led to a surprising second act: an appointment to the Pentagon. First serving as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and later as Under Secretary of the Army, Geren became an insider during a tumultuous period. In 2007, he was confirmed as Secretary of the Army, tasked with managing the force through the demanding 'surge' in Iraq and addressing critical issues of troop welfare and equipment. Post-government, he returned to Texas, leading the Sid W. Richardson Foundation and focusing on philanthropic work, embodying the model of a public servant who moves between Washington and his community without fanfare.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pete was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pete Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Pete's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 20th United States Secretary of the Army from 2007 to 2009, overseeing the force during the Iraq War surge.
- Represented Texas's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 14 years.
- Appointed as Under Secretary of the Army and later Acting Secretary of the Army before his confirmation as Secretary.
- As president of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, directs philanthropic giving focused on education, health, and the arts in Texas.
Did You Know?
His full name is Preston Murdoch Geren III, and he goes by the nickname 'Pete'.
He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law and was editor of the Texas Law Review.
Geren served as a clerk for Judge John R. Brown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
He is a member of the board of trustees for the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded research center.
“Public service is about solving problems, not making headlines.”
