Jonathan P. Braga

Last updated
Jonathan P. Braga
Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga.jpg
Nickname(s)Jon [1]
Born (1969-06-19) 19 June 1969 (age 54)
Attleboro, Massachusetts [2]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1991–present
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held 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 19 June 1969) [4] is a United States Army lieutenant general, serving as the commanding general of United States Army Special Operations Command since 13 August 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]

Contents

On 12 August 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]

Military career

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-A commander and Company Executive Commander. Braga completed the selection 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 on Operation Iraqi Freedom 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.

Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga assumes command of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, during a ceremony at Fort Bragg, Aug. 13, 2021. USASOC welcomes its newest command team 210813-A-CC123-003.jpg
Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga assumes command of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, during a ceremony at Fort Bragg, Aug. 13, 2021.

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 27 July 2018.

Operation Inherent Resolve

Braga praised the collaboration with Kurdish troops on the ground: [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]

Awards and decorations

U.S. military decorations
Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg Army Distinguished Service Medal [11]
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg
'C' Device.png
Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze "C" device and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Legion of Merit ribbon.svg
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze Star ribbon.svg
Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Defense Meritorious Service ribbon.svg
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Meritorious Service ribbon.svg
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Service Commendation ribbon.svg
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Joint Service Achievement Medal ribbon.svg
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg
Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
U.S. Unit Awards
Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg Army Presidential Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation
U.S. Service (Campaign) Medals and Service and Training Ribbons
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Afghanistan Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with campaign star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg Korea Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal ribbon.svg Humanitarian Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon.svg Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg Award numeral 4.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
Badges
Combat Infantry Badge.svg Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantry Badge.svg Expert Infantryman Badge
Einzelbild Special Forces (Special Forces Insignia).svg Special Forces Tab
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger Tab
Image4246.gif Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge with USASOC background trimming
USAF - Occupational Badge - High Altitude Low Opening.svg Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg Air Assault Badge
U.S. Army Special Operations Command CSIB.png United States Army Special Operations Command Combat Service Identification Badge
Paracaidista Basico.jpg Mexican Parachutist Badge
No free image.png Ecuadorian Parachutist Badge
SpecialForces Badge.svg 1st Special Forces Command Distinctive Unit Insignia
ArmyOSB.svg 7 Overseas Service Bars

Personal life

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 4 September 1999 at Fort Bragg. [3]

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References

  1. Ozawa, Les (18 July 2013). "Col. Braga is new Fort Irwin Garrison commander". U.S. Army. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Brigadier General Jonathan P. Braga Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific" (PDF). SOCOM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Weddings published Dec. 5". The Sun Chronicle. Attleboro, Massachusetts. 4 December 1999. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy". 1991. p. 882. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. Staff Sgt. Brandon Allums (2021-08-13). "USASOC welcomes its newest command team". DVIDS. United States Army Special Operations Command.
  6. "SOCPAC Change of Command". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 Engel, Richard; Werner, Kennett (2018-03-30), White House chaos jeopardizes war on ISIS, U.S. commanders warn
  8. "PN623 — Maj. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga — Army". www.congress.gov. June 8, 2021.
  9. "FY 21 Announcements". GOMO. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
  10. "Jonathan P. Braga". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. "Promotion picture". Archived from the original on 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
Military offices
Preceded by Director of Operations of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
2017–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Special Operations Command Pacific
2018–2020
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commanding General (South) of the United States Army Pacific
2020–2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding General of the United States Army Special Operations Command
2021–present
Incumbent