John A. Toolan

Last updated
John Toolan
Lieutenant General John A. Toolan.JPG
Born (1954-01-28) January 28, 1954 (age 70)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1976–2016
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held
Battles/wars Gulf War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Awards

John "Jocko" A. Toolan Jr. (born January 28, 1954) is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general, [1] whose final post was as the Commanding General, United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. [2] [3]

Contents

Marine Corps career

Toolan joined the United States Marine Corps in 1976, and graduated from the Basic School in April 1977. His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Okinawa, Japan. After three years service at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, he served as company commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines from 1982 to 1984.

Toolan saw service in the Gulf War in 1991 before taking command of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. He also served on the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Europe.

In 2003, Toolan served as the Chief of Staff for 1st Marine Division during the march to Baghdad as part of the Iraq War, serving under Major General James Mattis. In 2004, he commanded 1st Marine Regiment during the First Battle of Fallujah.

From March 2011 to March 2012, Toolan commanded Regional Command Southwest during the War in Afghanistan.

He also served as Director of Command and Staff College at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and, in September 2012, he took command of I Marine Expeditionary Force. Toolan retired from the Marine Corps on October 1, 2016. [4]

Awards, honors and decorations

Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
Valor device.svg
1 golden star.svg
1 golden star.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
1 golden star.svg
Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg
1 golden star.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg
Combat Action Ribbon.svg United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
KosovoRib.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Afghanistan Campaign ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Korea Defense Service ribbon.svg
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon.svg
Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon.svg NATO medal for Kosovo ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png
First row Defense Superior Service Medal w/ 1 oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit w/ valor device & 2 award stars Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 award star Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ 1 award star
Second row Combat Action Ribbon Presidential Unit Citation Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 1 oak leaf cluster Navy Unit Commendation w/ 2 service stars
Third row Navy and Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 service stars
Fourth row Kosovo Campaign Medal w/ 1 service star Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 1 service star Iraq Campaign Medal w/ 2 service stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Fifth row Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Sea Service Ribbon w/ 9 service stars Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 service star
Sixth row Drill Instructor Ribbon NATO Medal (Kosovo) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Badge Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James L. Jones</span> Retired US Marine Corps general and National Security Advisor

James Logan Jones Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general and consultant who served as the 21st United States National Security Advisor from 2009 to 2010. During his military career, he served as the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps from July 1999 to January 2003, and Commander, United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 2003 to 2006. Jones retired from the Marine Corps on February 1, 2007, after 40 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James T. Conway</span> United States Marine Corps general

James Terry Conway is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Among his previous postings were Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commanding General of 1st Marine Division and I Marine Expeditionary Force, taking part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the First Battle of Fallujah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Pace</span> 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Peter Pace is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine officer to be appointed to three different four-star assignments; the others were as the sixth vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2001, to August 12, 2005, and as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Southern Command from September 8, 2000, to September 30, 2001. Appointed chairman by President George W. Bush, Pace succeeded U.S. Air Force General Richard Myers on September 30, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph P. Hoar</span> United States Marine Corps general (1934–2022)

Joseph Paul Hoar was a United States Marine Corps four-star general. He served as Commander in Chief of United States Central Command from 1991 to 1994, retiring from the Marine Corps on September 1, 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond G. Davis</span> US Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient

Raymond Gilbert Davis was a United States Marine Corps four-star-general who had served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Davis was decorated several times, he was awarded the Navy Cross during World War II and the Medal of Honor during the Korean War. While serving as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, he retired with over 33 years service in the Marine Corps on March 31, 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis H. Wilson Jr.</span> United States Marine Corps general

Louis Hugh Wilson Jr. was United States Marine Corps four-star general and a World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Guam. He served as the 26th commandant of the Marine Corps from 1975 until his retirement from the Marine Corps in 1979, after 38 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter E. Gaskin</span> United States Marine Corps general

Walter Edward Gaskin Sr. is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who served as the 19th Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from May 2009 to August 2013. In that role, he served as Acting Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from November 2011 to January 2012. He was the first African American to be appointed as deputy chairman and chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David F. Bice</span> United States Marine Corps general

Major General David F. Bice is a retired Inspector General of the United States Marine Corps, formerly stationed in Washington, D.C. Bice retired from active duty in 2007 after over 36 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard E. Trainor</span> United States Marine Corps general and journalist

Bernard E. Trainor was an American journalist and a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. He served in the Marine Corps for 39 years in both staff and command capacities. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he began working as the chief military correspondent for The New York Times. He was subsequently a military analyst for NBC. With Michael R. Gordon, he was the author of three accounts of American wars in Iraq, The Generals War (1995); Cobra II (2006); and Endgame (2012).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis William Walt</span> U.S. Marine Corps general (1913–1989)

Lewis William Walt was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Walt was decorated several times, including two Navy Crosses for extraordinary heroism during World War II, one for leading the attack on "Aogiri Ridge" during the Battle of Cape Gloucester ; the ridge was renamed "Walt's Ridge" in his honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles E. Wilhelm</span> United States Marine Corps general

Charles Elliott Wilhelm is a decorated retired United States Marine Corps General who served two combat tours of duty in Vietnam. He later served as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division; as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; and as the Commander, U.S. Southern Command (1997–2000). General Wilhelm retired from the Marine Corps in 2000, after 37 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald C. Thomas</span> United States Marine Corps general

Gerald Carthrae Thomas was a United States Marine Corps general who served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1956 with more than 38 years of distinguished service which included duty on four continents, spanning the two World Wars, Haiti, and the Korean War. During World War I, he fought in major offensives, including the Battle of Belleau Wood, and was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwin H. Simmons</span> United States Marine Corps general

Edwin Howard Simmons was a United States Marine Corps brigadier general. He was a career officer who served in combat during three wars — including landing at Inchon and fighting at the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. He was renowned as the official Marine Corps historian, being called "the collective memory of the Marine Corps". His 1974 book The United States Marines: A History is a seminal reference text.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John M. Paxton Jr.</span> United States Marine Corps general

John M. Paxton Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 33rd Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. He previously served as the Commanding General of United States Marine Corps Forces Command; Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic; Commander, United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe, as well as II Marine Expeditionary Force. Paxton retired on August 4, 2016, after 42 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Jaskilka</span> United States Marine Corps general

Samuel Jaskilka was a U.S. Marine four-star general whose last assignment was Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (1975–1978). General Jaskilka was a highly decorated veteran of the Korean War, having led the landing at Inchon as a company commander with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1978 after 36 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George R. Christmas</span> United States Marine Corps general

George Ronald Christmas is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. Christmas was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for valor in 1968, during the Vietnam War. He served on active duty in the Marine Corps for 34 years, retiring in 1996. After retirement, he served as the President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for 15 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John R. Allen</span> US Marine Corps general (born 1953)

John Rutherford Allen is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general, and former commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A). On September 13, 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Allen as special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. He was succeeded in that role by Brett McGurk on October 23, 2015. He is the co-author of Turning Point: Policymaking in the Era of Artificial Intelligence with Darrell M. West and Future War and the Defence of Europe alongside Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges and Professor Julian Lindley French. Allen was president of the Brookings Institution from October 2017 until his resignation on June 12, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Rollings</span> US Marines major general

Major General Wayne Evan Rollings, USMC, was Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force, III Marine Expeditionary Force and a recipient of the Navy Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John H. Miller</span> United States Marine Corps Lieutenant general

John Harrison Miller is a highly decorated retired lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, Miller completed his career as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas D. Waldhauser</span> United States Marine Corps general (born 1953)

Thomas David "Tom" Waldhauser is a retired United States Marine Corps general who was the Commander of United States Africa Command. He previously served as Director for Joint Force Development, J7 on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Commanding General, United States Marine Forces Central Command. Waldhauser is an alumnus of Bemidji State University.

References

  1. "Senior Fellows".
  2. "Leaders".
  3. "Marine general is tough enough to smile". 26 January 2013.
  4. "Senior Fellows".