Growing up in midland, texas (a year ahead of First Lady Laura Bush in school), Tommy Franks (his friends called him Tommy Ray) liked hunting, Elvis Presley and fast cars. He and his high-school buddies would never have guessed that Franks, who joined the Army after dropping out of the University of Texas, would one day be the general heading Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Over more than 30 years in the military, Franks' career included a stint with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam, another at the demilitarized zone in Korea, and his assignment as deputy commander of the 1st Cavalry Division during the first Gulf War. Franks, whom President George W. Bush has called a "down-to-earth, no-nonsense guy," was new to his job at Central Command when the suicide attack on the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen occurred. The man from Midland was responsible for drawing up the war plans for both Afghanistan and Iraq before retiring from the Army last summer.

Despite his reputation for being a man of few words-or perhaps because of it-Franks headed TV journalist Barbara Walters' list of the 10 Most Fascinating People for 2003. Locals will get the chance to assess that ranking for themselves when Franks appears in the Naples/Fort Myers Town Hall Series to discuss "The Campaign Trail-Afghanistan to Baghdad and Beyond," March 6 at the Registry Resort in Naples. For tickets, call 261-6524.