Bernard Loeffke
Bernard “Burn” Loeffke is a West Point graduate. He has BS in Engineering, an MA in Russian, and a Ph.D. in Political Sciences. He has taught graduate school at Georgetown University.
General Loeffke has commanded Special Forces and parachute combat infantry units. He culminated his military career as the Commanding General of Army South. In his military service, he accumulated more than 250 parachute jumps – two while in combat in Vietnam. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds in combat, as well as the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for Valor. He is a pilot and Army Ranger.
General Loeffke is also the first American to have parachuted with Communist Chinese Units. He earned this distinction when he became the first US Army General to be assigned to the American Embassy after the Communist takeover. General Loeffke also served as the Army Attaché in Moscow, as a staff officer in the White House, and as the Director of the Commission on White House Fellows.
An important ingredient in General Loeffke’s life is physical fitness. In the past, he served as an advisor to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. As a young Captain, he was a US Army Swimming Champion. As a Colonel, he competed in a military decathlon in Russia. As a General, he ran several full-length marathons in China. Today, as a senior, his workouts include 300 crunches and 5 short sprints with 10 squats in between.
The General retired from the Army in 1992 and immediately started his medical career. He finished his studies in 1979 and graduated as a physician associate and he had his first taste of missionary medicine in a combat zone in Africa. He now participates in medical missions in war-torn and impoverished areas such as Bosnia, Haiti, Kenya, Iraq, Niger, Darfur, and the Amazon jungles.
Marc Loeffke
Marc Loeffke, Burn’s son graduated from Duke University where he was a Robertson Scholar. He has degrees in engineering, environmental science and economics. He is now a senior scientist and energy consultant.
He has been in Africa, Asia, and Latin America as an assistant to his father on medical missions. He worked in a hospital ship off the coast of Haiti, and has participated in a reconciliation camp in Ireland where he was a group leader for Protestant and Catholic youth.
Marc has a black belt in karate and is an Eagle Scout. His proudest moment is climbing the 19,000 foot mountain in Tanzania at age fourteen.
Kristina Loeffke
Kristina Loeffke graduated from Elon University where she majored in theater. She owns a small film company and is an actress in stage and film.
Like her brother, Kristina has participated in medical missions abroad, to include the building of a reconciliation camp in Ireland which brought Catholics and Protestants together. She has a black belt in Karate. One of her many accomplishments was producing, directing and acting in a play in the People’s Republic of China.
Kristina is an accomplished, dynamic speaker. Her grace, enthusiasm and ease in making friends make her the ideal ambassador.