Jonathan P. Braga | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Jon [1] |
Born | Attleboro, Massachusetts [2] | June 19, 1969
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1991–present |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands | United States Army Special Operations Command Special Operations Command Pacific JSOC – Army Pacific 7th Special Forces Group Delta Force |
Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War Operation Inherent Resolve |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (4) |
Jonathan Patrick Braga [3] (born June 19, 1969) [4] is a United States Army lieutenant general, serving as the commanding general of United States Army Special Operations Command since August 13, 2021. [5] He previously served as a deputy commanding general of United States Army Pacific from August 2020 to July 2021, as commander of Special Operations Command Pacific from July 2018 to August 2020, [6] and before that as operations director of Operation Inherent Resolve, the official name for the US war on ISIS. [7]
On August 12, 2021, he was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed command of the United States Army Special Operations Command one day later, succeeding Francis M. Beaudette. [8] [9]
Braga graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in national security public affairs, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch in 1991. [3] [10] His first assignment was rifle platoon leader with the 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth Army in South Korea, followed by service with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California. He then attended Army Special Forces Qualification Course and served with the 7th Special Forces Group from 1995 to 2001 as Operational Detachment-Alpha (ODA) commander, Company Executive officer and Company commander. In 2002 Braga volunteered for and completed a specialized selection and operator training course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He would serve numerous leadership positions as squadron operations officer and troop commander with deployments during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation WILLING SPIRIT until 2005. [2] Braga earned a master's degree from the Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College in 2006 and transferred to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Washington, D.C. Braga returned to United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in 2008 and served as operations officer, Squadron Commander and Deputy Unit Commander.
Braga's most recent assignments include: Army War College Special Operations Fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School, Garrison Commander of the National Training Center in Fort Irwin from 2013 to 2015; Chief of Staff at Joint Special Operations Command from 2015 to 2017 and Director of Operations, Combined Joint Task Force—Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in Iraq. Braga assumed command as Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific on July 27, 2018.
Braga praised the collaboration with Kurdish troops on the ground during Operation Inherent resolve: [7]
I'm very impressed. These people stood up without any international support. [...] It's the partnership we wished for, but never had, [...] I think the world owes them a debt of gratitude. They were the first to stand up against [ISIS].
— Jonathan P. Braga, 30 March 2018 [7]
In the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was rapidly worsening, Braga reportedly led an anti-vax propaganda campaign in the Philippines. [11] The disinformation campaign was targeted against the Chinese-produced vaccine Sinovac CoronaVac, and intended to undermine a possible increase of Chinese influence in the country. [11] The campaign was described as "payback" for COVID-19 disinformation by China directed against the U.S. [12] In summer of that same year, the campaign was expanded to target Muslim-majority countries. [11] The plan was discouraged by top U.S. diplomats in the region, and after revelations of the campaign came to light, health officials in the U.S. and internationally called the plan "indefensible" and said it "crossed a line." [11]
Braga is the son of Reid and Mary Braga. [3]
Braga is married to the former Melanie Rohrbaugh of Apple Valley, Calif. The couple has five children. [ citation needed ] Braga and Rohrbaugh were married on September 4, 1999, at Fort Bragg. [3]
Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with over 52,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cumberland and Hoke counties, and borders the incorporated city and communities of Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Southern Pines.
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America's Contingency Corps." Its headquarters are at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) – known informally as "Swicks" – primarily trains and educates United States Army personnel for the United States Army Special Operations Command and United States Special Operations Command, which includes Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations personnel. Its purpose is to recruit, assess, select, train and educate the U.S. Army Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations and Special Forces Soldiers by providing training and education, developing doctrine, integrating force-development capability, and providing career management.
The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) (1st SFG) (A) is a unit of the U.S. Army Special Forces operating under the United States Pacific Command. It is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions throughout the Indo-Pacific Command area of operations: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, counterproliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance.
Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland Jr. is a retired senior officer who served in the United States Army and is the former Associate Director for Military Affairs (ADMA) at the Central Intelligence Agency. Mulholland previously served as Deputy Commander of the United States Special Operations Command, after having previously served in the US Army's Special Forces. He commanded special operations task forces in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning an appointment as Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command and later as Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
Brigadier General David G. Fox is a retired United States Army officer who served as the commanding general of the Installation Management Command Korea Region.
The Special Operations Command Pacific, known as SOCPAC, is a sub-unified command of the United States Department of Defense for special operations forces in the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) area of responsibility.
Robert Bruce Abrams is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who last served as the commander of United States Forces Korea. He concurrently served as the commander of United Nations Command and commander of R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command. He previously served as the 22nd commanding general of United States Army Forces Command from August 10, 2015 to October 17, 2018. He was a 1982 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he was commissioned as an armor officer. During his years of active service, he has held command and staff positions across the Army and joint community in Germany, the United States, Southwest Asia and South Korea. Abrams comes from a family of career military officers. His father was former Army Chief of Staff General Creighton W. Abrams Jr., and both of his elder brothers, Creighton and John, were Army general officers.
Paul Joseph LaCamera is a United States Army four-star general and infantry officer who serves as commander of the United Nations Command, ROK/US Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea since 2 July 2021. LaCamera most recently served as commanding general of United States Army Pacific from 18 November 2019 to 3 June 2021. He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps. His other assignments include the commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve and as the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division. He was nominated to replace General Robert Abrams as the next commander of United Nations Command, R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, on 2 December 2020, however his nomination was returned to the president on 3 January 2021, without action. He was renominated on 27 April 2021.
Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) is a multinational military formation established by the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State with the stated aim to "degrade and destroy" the organization. Led by United States Army Central (ARCENT), it is composed of military forces and personnel from over 30 countries.
Stephen J. Townsend is a retired United States Army four-star general who served as Commander United States Africa Command from 26 July 2019 to 8 August 2022. He previously commanded the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command from March 2018 until June 2019 and XVIII Airborne Corps from May 2015 until January 2018.
Austin Scott Miller is a retired four-star general in the United States Army and former Delta Force commander who served as the final commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces – Afghanistan from 2 September 2018 to 12 July 2021. He previously served as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command from 30 March 2016 to August 2018. He participated in numerous combat operations, such as the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, and, since 2001, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He retired from the Army in December after relinquishing command in July 2021. Miller currently serves on the board of advisors for Striveworks and the board of directors for Workhorse.
Paul Edward Funk II is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who last served as the commanding officer of the Army Training and Doctrine Command. He previously served as the 60th Commanding General of III Corps and Fort Hood, Texas, and as the Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. Funk was born at Fort Hood, Texas, graduated from Fort Knox High School, and was commissioned an Armor Officer through ROTC upon graduation from Montana State University in 1984. His first assignments saw him serve in a variety of Armor and Cavalry roles to include Tank Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Squadron Commander of 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment and Brigade Commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division located at Fort Hood.
Joseph Matthew Martin is a General in the United States Army who served as the 37th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army from 2022. He previously served as the director of the Army Staff in Washington, D.C.
Ronald Patrick "Ron" Clark is a United States Army lieutenant general who serves as the senior military assistant to the secretary of defense. He previously commanded United States Army Central from 2021 to 2022. He also served as Chief of Staff, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He previously served as the commander of the 25th Infantry Division, and, before that, as Chief of Staff, United States Army Pacific.
Christopher Todd Donahue is a United States Army lieutenant general who serves as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps since March 11, 2022. He most recently served as commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Throughout his career, Donahue served in staff and command positions for both United States Army and Special Operations units.
James F. Glynn is a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who has served as the commander of United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific since September 12, 2024. He most recently served as the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs of the Marine Corps from 2022 to 2024. He commanded United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command from June 2020 to May 2022.
John W. Brennan Jr. is a United States Army lieutenant general who has served as the deputy commander of United States Africa Command since April 2024. He most recently served as director of operations of the United States Special Operations Command from October 2022 to July 2023, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve since September 9, 2021 to September 8, 2022. He previously served as the Commanding General of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) from November 2019 to August 2021, and as the Deputy Commander of Joint Special Operations Command.
Patrick B. Roberson is a United States Army Major General, serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the United States Army Special Operations Command since August 2022. He previously served as Commanding General, United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School from August 2019 to August 2022, and as Commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Iraq and Syria July 2018 and June 2019.