Mr. Achs' Bio

JACK H. ACHS, MBA

 LIEUTENANT COLONEL, U.S. Army Retired

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Jack H. Achs retired from active duty on 8 June, 2001 and was awarded the Legion of Merit for  exceptionally superior service spanning more than 20 plus years.  His performance epitomized the highest standards of military profession, dedication, and commitment to his country and the United States Army.

LTC Achs was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1959.  He graduated from Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a two-year ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a  Second Lieutenant, Field  Artillery, in 1981.  Lieutenant Colonel Achs’ military education  includes the Field Artillery Officer’s Basic and Advance Course, Field Artillery Cannon  Battery Officer’s Course, Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Combined Arms Services Staff  School,  Army  Materiel Acquisition Management Course,  Command and General Staff Officer Course, and Advanced Program Managment Course.  LTC Achs holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from NIU, a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of  Technology, and a second bachelors degree in Political Science from Western Illinois University. Additionally, he has over 94 post graduate hours.

     LTC Achs has served in a variety of troop, command, and staff assignments worldwide during and after the Cold War.  Starting in 2-75FA, 41st FA Bde, part of V Corps Artillery, Germany, he served as the Battalion Ammunition Officer, Fire Direction Officer, Executive Officer, and Battalion Motor Officer.  He continued on to 5-29FA, 4th Inf Div (Mech), Fort Carson, Colorado, serving as the Battalion Supply Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, and Service Battery Commander.  LTC Achs went on to command the Ann Arbor, Michigan, Recruiting Company and then on to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, where he became the Assistant Project Engineer for both the Brilliant Anti‑Armor Submunition (BAT) and the Tri‑Service Stand‑off Attack Missile (TSSAM).  After attending the Command and General Staff Officer Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, LTC Achs was assigned to the Program Executive Office (PEO), Ground Combat and Support Systems, Warren, Michigan, where he served as the PEO’s Legislative Special Staff Officer and the Assistant Product Manager for both the Bradley Fire Support Vehicle (BFIST) and the Striker, a Warfighter Rapid Acquisition Program.  His last assignment while serving in the U.S. Army was at the Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) located at the Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois where he was the Operations Officer, the senior military officer and principle advisor to the Director.  

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster (six awards), the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster (two awards), the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters (four awards), Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Recruiter Badge, and the Field Artillery’s Honorable Order of Saint Barbara.  He was a member of the Army Acquisition Corps and had a Level III certification in Program Mgmt and Level II certification in Test and Evaluation.  He was also in the nuclear Personal Reliability Program (PRP), and cleared for Top Secret (TS) information and granted access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). 

      LTC Achs is married to Molly McNall and they have six children: Brandy, Jennifer, Jeffrey, Ryan, Jessica, and Jolyn.  Graduating in December 2002 from the teacher’s program at WIU with honors (Magna cum Laude), he was one of the 31 students at WIU elected into the 2001-2002 Who’s Who Among Students In America’s Colleges and Universities.  He was a member of the DOD Troops to Teachers Program and is currently teaching Social Studies at Davenport West HS and Driver Ed at Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency. He was an Adjunct Professor at both Kaplin University and Brown Mackie College teaching business. He was selected for the following honors: 2007 Marquis Who’s Who in America, 2005-06 Who’s Who Among American HS Teachers, and the National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teachers Award. LTC Achs has continued to serve his country and community by participating in the American Red Cross’ Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), is an active member of the American Legion Post 246 (Moline, IL) Honor Guard, has earned 14 Presidential Service Awards since 2006 for work in the community, and served as a Confirmation Catechist and Parish Council member (former Vice President) at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church. LTC Achs’ official residence is Port Byron, IL.