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Wednesday, March 26, 2003

By Mark Belko, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

His son is a confidential assistant to Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, but these days Walter Goedeke's thoughts are with the soldiers farther north on the battlefield.

"As a Marine Corps family, very frankly, we're more concerned about troops in the field. Chris is in a relatively safe position being at command headquarters," Goedeke said yesterday.

	Marine Maj. Chris Goedeke, right, aide de camp to Army Gen. Tommy Franks, walks with the general to the command post at As Sayliyah Air Base in Qatar on Feb. 25. (Wally Santana, Associated Press)

Chris is Chris Goedeke, a 1983 Hampton High School graduate and a 15-year Marine veteran who was handpicked by Franks last year to be his aide de camp. Franks, an Army officer, interviewed one person from each of the armed forces for the job and decided on Goedeke.

As aide de camp, Goedeke, 37, essentially acts as Franks' executive assistant, helping with among other things scheduling and travel arrangements and serving as a liaison between Franks, other commanders, the Pentagon and civilians.

Because of the assignment, Goedeke, who currently holds the rank of major and is line for a promotion to lieutenant colonel, has remained with Franks at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Doha, Qatar, while coalition forces attack Iraq.

So while his father no doubt is concerned about Chris' well-being, he believes he is far safer at command headquarters than are the troops fighting in the Iraqi desert or headed to Baghdad.

Chris Goedeke was assigned to the U.S. Central Command, which is based in Tampa, Fla., after the Sept. 11 attacks. In the last year, he and Franks have traveled to the Middle East, Afghanistan, central Asia and Africa.

Before Christmas, they based the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Qatar and left the United States for war about three weeks ago. Since then, Chris and his father, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, have exchanged e-mails -- and a garbled cell phone call Monday -- but they never talk business.

"I have never asked him about a military situation. It would be inappropriate, nor would he communicate [a military situation] to me," he said.

The Iraq war is Chris' second tour of duty in the Persian Gulf. During Desert Storm, he served as a F/A-18 fighter pilot. He began his military career in 1987 after graduating from Villanova with a degree in political science.

"We're very proud of his career and all of the other folks serving in the armed forces," Walter Goedeke said.

The military runs in the Goedeke family blood.

Walter, 59, spent five years as an infantry officer in Vietnam and served for 21 in the Marine Reserves, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He retired in 1981.

He is now the chief executive officer of the Bradley Center, a nonprofit charitable organization that serves the Pittsburgh area. His wife, Michelle, Chris's mom, is a third-grade teacher in the Shaler Area School District.

Goedeke's advice for military families worried about their sons or daughters, husbands or wives or other relatives serving in Iraq:

"I would advise them to trust their leadership, such as General Franks. These are extremely talented commanders and leaders," he said. "Actually, we're very confident because of our own personal background with the military. These are terrific people."

Before leaving for Iraq, Chris lived in Tampa, Fla., with his wife, Lisa, and their two children, Matthew, 4, and Ava, 1.

Mark Belko can be reached at mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.