Alan Dale Fiers Jr. (born 15 April 1939) is an American former

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...

(CIA) officer, who served as

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Ronald Reagan's chief of the CIA's Central American Task Force from October 1984 until his retirement in 1988. Fiers Jr. gained attention for his role in the

Iran–Contra affair The Iran–Contra affair ( fa, ماجرای ایران-کنترا, es, Caso Irán–Contra), often referred to as the Iran–Contra scandal, the McFarlane affair (in Iran), or simply Iran–Contra, was a political scandal in the United States ...

. Fiers Jr. would later plead guilty to 2 misdemeanor counts of withholding information from congress but served no prision time.

Early life

Alan Fiers Jr. was born in Ohio to a family led by an evangelical Christian minister. He attended Thomas Carr Howe Community High School in Indianapolis and was the most valuable player on the football team. He played tackle and guard at Ohio State University on several title-contending teams coached by Woody Hayes. Fiers was a starter for the 1960 team, playing both offense and defense. His tenacity so impressed Mr. Hayes that Hayes kept him as an assistant coach for the 1961 National Championship Team.

Military service

Alan Fiers joined the

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

while still in college on 18 December 1958, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 7 June 1961. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 7 December 1962. Fiers was serving at Camp Lejeune by 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered his battalion, the 1st Battalion 8th Marines, along with other infantry battalions of the

2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...

, to the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

to curb civil unrest as part of

Operation Power Pack The Dominican Civil War (), also known as the April Revolution (), took place between April 24, 1965, and September 3, 1965, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It started when civilian and military supporters of the overthrown democratica ...

. There, The Indianapolis Star-News reported, that Lt. Fiers and two other marines crashed a Jeep through barricades under heavy gunfire to rescue a wounded civilian, for which, he was decorated with a Bronze Star for heroic achievement and a Purple Heart for wounds received in action.

Central Intelligence Agency

Following his service in the Marines, Fiers went home to Indiana and earned a degree in physical education, readying himself to coach football. His coaching career was not to be; however, and by 1969 he was under diplomatic cover by the

(CIA). His postings included

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

and

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

, Turkey, followed by

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

, Pakistan. By 1981, Mr. Fiers, whose alias in clandestine matters was "Cliff Grubbs", had risen to the coveted post of chief of station in

Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...

, Saudi Arabia. While with the CIA, he was awarded the

Intelligence Medal of Merit The Intelligence Medal of Merit is awarded by the Central Intelligence Agency for performance of especially meritorious service or for achievement conspicuously above normal duties. Notable recipients *Gust Avrakotos * I. Nathan Briggs * George ...

, the Meritorious Officer Award and the Distinguished Officer Award.

Iran–Contra Affair

In 1984 he had been picked to command a group involved in the agency's undercover war against the Communist government in Afghanistan, but it wasn't to be. Instead, he was given the job of Chief of Central American Task Force, with the primary mission of supporting the Contras. After succeededing Duane Clarridge, he assumed a major responsibility for support of the Nicaraguan Contras' armed opposition to the Sandinista's Soviet-backed, Communist government. In this capacity, Fiers became aware of Lt. Col.

Oliver North Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Secu ...

's efforts to circumvent congressional limitations on aid to the rebel forces. Fiers was known for wholeheartedly supporting

Adolfo Calero Adolfo Calero Portocarrero (December 22, 1931 – June 2, 2012) was a Nicaraguan businessman and the leader of the Nicaraguan Democratic Force, the largest rebel group of the Contras, opposing the Sandinista government. Calero was respons ...

and Enrique Bermúdez against so-called reformers like

Arturo Cruz Arturo José Cruz Porras (December 18, 1923 – July 9, 2013), sometimes called Arturo Cruz Sr. to distinguish him from his son, was a Nicaraguan banker and technocrat. He became prominent in politics during the Sandinista (FSLN) era. After repeate ...

and

Alfonso Robelo Luis Alfonso Robelo Callejas (born October 11, 1939),is a Nicaraguan businessman, was the founder of the Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN). Early life and education Luis Alfonso Robelo Callejas was born in Leon, Nicaragua on October 11, ...

. He clashed with the State Department's

Elliott Abrams Elliott Abrams (born January 24, 1948) is an American politician and lawyer, who has served in foreign policy positions for presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. Abrams is considered to be a neoconservative. He is current ...

, who supported Cruz and Robelo. Fiers became party to the Lawrence Walsh investigation. Walsh determined that Fiers had knowledge of North's activities, and participated in concealing it from congressional investigators. On July 9, 1991, Fiers pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of withholding information from the Congress regarding secret efforts to aid the Nicaraguan Contra rebels. in return for immunity from further prosecution. He was sentenced to one year probation and 100 hours community service by US District Chief Judge Aubrey E. Robinson Jr. on January 31, 1992. On December 24, 1992, Fiers was pardoned by President George H. W. Bush, along with

Caspar W. Weinberger Caspar Willard Weinberger (August 18, 1917 – March 28, 2006) was an American statesman and businessman. As a prominent Republican, he served in a variety of state and federal positions for three decades, including chairman of the Californ ...

, Duane R. Clarridge, Clair E. George,

and Robert C. McFarlane.

Later life

Mr. Fiers retired from the C.I.A. in 1988, to join W. R. Grace & Company, a multinational concern, in Washington.

References

External links

Final report of the independent counsel for Iran/Contra matters; Chapter 19
*http://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/30/us/washington-at-work-quintessential-spy-undone-by-his-own-loyalty.html?pagewanted=all {{DEFAULTSORT:Fiers, Alan American spies People of the Central Intelligence Agency Recipients of American presidential pardons Iran–Contra affair 1939 births Living people Ohio State University alumni Ohio State Buckeyes football players Ohio State Buckeyes football coaches Military personnel from Ohio