Local Assistant United States Attorney Retiring From Military Service after Thirty-Five Years

CEDAR RAPIDS – Assistant United States Attorney and Army Reserve Major General Patrick J. Reinert, age 57, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will retire from military service this week after thirty-five years of service in the Army.  

Major General Reinert began his military career as a ROTC scholarship cadet at Iowa State University in 1979.  After graduating as a distinguished military graduate, Major General Reinert was commissioned in 1983 as a military intelligence officer.  He then obtained a law degree from the University of Iowa.  While in law school, Major General Reinert served with the 234th Signal Battalion in the Iowa National Guard.  In 1986, he transferred to the Judge Advocate General's Corps and entered active duty.  After initial training, he was assigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he served in various assignments.  Major General Reinert left active duty in 1990 and began his service in the Army Reserve.

Since joining the Army Reserve, Major General Reinert has served in numerous roles, including as a Military Judge and a Commander.  During this time, Major General Reinert deployed twice.  During his deployments he served as a Military Judge in Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006.  In his second deployment in 2013 and 2014, Major General Reinert was the Commander of the Rule of Law Field Force, and later the Commander of Combined, Joint InterAgency Task Force 435, in Afghanistan. 

Most recently, Major General Reinert commanded the 88th Readiness Division, headquartered on Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.  The 88th “Blue Devil” Division provides services and base operations support to more than 55,000 Army Reserve soldiers, civilians and families serving in 633 units at 278 sites dispersed across 19 states in the northern United States from the Ohio River Valley to the Pacific Coast. 

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker stated, “The Department of Justice is very proud of General Reinert.  Our service men and women make great sacrifices to keep us safe and their personal sacrifices are essential to the strength of our nation.  General Reinert is the epitome of that service and sacrifice.  He has been a tremendous leader for over three decades of military service.”

“General Reinert has used his leadership ability and unique skills to serve our nation for years,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan.  “By serving his country as both a military officer and an Assistant United States Attorney, General Reinert has made the country and the Northern District of Iowa safer for us all.”  

“I have been fortunate to serve with thousands of great officers and enlisted members of our military,” said Major General Reinert.  “Men and women who have sacrificed much and, in some cases, everything, to keep us free and safe.  I am humbled that I was able to play a part in protecting this great country.”

In his civilian capacity, Major General Reinert has been with the United States Attorney’s Office in Cedar Rapids for nearly thirty years and has served in a variety of roles within the office including as a Deputy Criminal Chief and as the lead Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Attorney.  He currently serves as a Senior Litigation Counsel for the office.

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