<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>Major General <em>Frank Warren Tate </em> (Retired) was born in Williamsburg, VA on May 22, 1966. He grew up poor; his childhood stepfather was Bernard Leigg. Bernard was his Little League coach in football, baseball, and basketball and taught him how to box at a young age. This not only stopped bullies from bullying him in his youth but also helped Frank get started on his journey to earning Golden Gloves in boxing at West Point.</p>
<p>During his high school years, Frank had a close-knit group of friends in his time at Independence High School in Charlotte, NC. No one would have guessed that youthful and energetic Frank with the quick laugh, huge heart, great hair, and laid-back personality would one day become an American hero. The men and women he grew up with are all fiercely proud of Frank and take pride in saying, “I knew him first.” He will be deeply missed and dearly remembered by his friends from the Class of 1984 there. </p>
<p>Frank joined the Class of 1988 at West Point with positive energy and quiet confidence. He made the transition from civilian to cadet with ease and was always a great roommate and teammate. From shining shoes, to excelling in the classroom, to rowing on the crew team, he assimilated easily to military life. Frank was tagged “Disco” for his unique skills on or near a dance floor. He was an integral part of F-1 and its proud social committee, and he was central to many joy-filled events during his cadet career, including pre-prohibition company soirees, concerts, Fort Lauderdale spring break trips, and the sugar bush blues. </p>
<p>He graduated on May 25, 1988 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant at the age of 22. He would go on to serve his country for the next 33 years. He was promoted to captain in August 1992, and his first command came in 1993, which saw him in charge of C Troop, 4th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment of the 28th Aviation Brigade. Promoted to major in February 1999, he would spend the next five years developing his craft and refining his expertise as an Aviation officer. He would be promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 2004, and his next command would come in 2005 in charge of the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. Promoted to the rank of colonel in November 2009, he would go on to command the entire 25th Combat Aviation Brigade in 2010. Later he would serve as the deputy commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division in 2014. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in June 2015. </p>
<p>As a brigadier general he served as the deputy chief of staff operations to NATO in 2015. Frank also served multiple tours in the Pentagon, culminating in his assignment as director of Army Aviation, HQDA, G-3/5/7. During his Pentagon years, he and his friend and classmate Colonel John Lindsay were the principal architects of the controversial but highly impactful Aviation Restructure Initiative. Promoted to major general in 2018, Frank became the senior advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Defense. His final command came in August 2019 when he took command of First Army Division West at Fort Hood, TX. His knowledge, expertise, wisdom, and leadership would see him serving in command and advisory roles across the planet. Frank served in numerous operations, including Support Democracy, Uphold Democracy, Joint Guard, Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, United Assistance and Freedom’s Sentinel. </p>
<p>Frank’s service would see him earn many military awards and medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with two bronze oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star Medal (with two bronze oak leaf clusters), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters), Air Medal (two), Army Commendation Medal of valor, Army Commendation Medal (with two bronze oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Master Army Aviator Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge. His life of service to the people of the United States was remarkable. </p>
<p>Two people influenced Frank’s life the most: his grandfather on his mother’s side, Ernie Tate, a successful businessman who Frank spent summers with while growing up; equally influential was his step-grandfather, Command Sergeant Major James Tate (Retired), whom Frank affectionately called “Grand-Sir,” and who inspired Frank to have a career as an officer in the Army. They both taught Frank Christian, conservative values, a strong work ethic, and deep-rooted patriotism, which cultivated Frank’s love of God and country. His devoted wife of 18 years, Beverly, was the one person he loved more than any other. They, together, will always be remembered as “Team Tate” by their Army family.</p>
<p>He is survived by his wife, Beverly Ann Tate; mother, Gloria Tate; father, Hugh Benet III; half-sisters Anna Benet and Amanda Radke; stepfather, Donald Tate; half-sister Emily Huxtable, half-brother James Tate, and childhood stepfather Bernard Leigg. </p>
</body>
</html>