Joseph Votel | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. | 14 February 1958
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1980–2019 |
Rank | General |
Commands held | United States Central Command United States Special Operations Command Joint Special Operations Command Combined Joint Task Force 82 Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization 75th Ranger Regiment 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 10th Mountain Division |
Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3) Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star (4) |
Alma mater | United States Military Academy (BS) United States Army Command and General Staff College (MS) United States Army War College (MS) |
Joseph Leonard Votel (born 14 February 1958) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who was commander of United States Central Command from March 2016 to March 2019. [1] Before that, he served as commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
General Votel most recently served as President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS) – a national, nonprofit composed of senior business and industry executives who volunteer their time and expertise to assist the U.S. national security community.
Born on 14 February 1958, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, [2] Votel attended the United States Military Academy and was commissioned in 1980 as an Army Infantry officer.
His military schools include Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the United States Army War College. [3]
Votel's initial assignments were to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, where he served as a rifle platoon leader, executive officer, battalion adjutant, and rifle company commander. Following this tour, he was assigned to Headquarters, Allied Forces Southern Europe – Naples, Italy, and the NATO Peace Implementation Force (IFOR) in Sarajevo. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (Light) at Fort Drum, New York, and afterward commanded the 1st Ranger Battalion. Later he commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment during Operation Enduring Freedom. [4] On 19 October 2001, Votel led 200 Rangers from 3rd Battalion, who parachuted towards an airfield south of Kandahar in an operation known as Operation Rhino and attacked several Taliban targets. [5]
As a general officer, Votel served in the Pentagon as the Director of the Army and Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Task Force and subsequently as the deputy director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization established under the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He also served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations), 82nd Airborne Division / CJTF-82, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, and was subsequently assigned as the Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg. He next served as the Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command. [3]
On 24 June 2014, Votel was nominated by President Barack Obama to succeed Admiral William H. McRaven as the 10th Commander of United States Special Operations Command. The appointment was confirmed by Congress in July, and the change of command took place on 28 August. [6] Lieutenant General Raymond A. Thomas replaced Votel as commander of Joint Special Operations Command.
Votel became the commander of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) on 30 March 2016. On 23 April 2018, Votel made his first official visit to Israel as CENTCOM commander. During his visit, Votel was scheduled to meet with Israeli Defense Force Chief of Staff, Gadi Eisenkot, National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, and other senior defense officials. [7]
As CENTCOM commander, Votel oversaw the United States' continued War on Terrorism in the Middle East, particularly the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve's fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terror organization, which rose to prominence in 2014. The fight against the group saw CENTCOM become more involved in the Syrian civil war and Iraqi Civil War.
After nearly 40 years of military service, Votel officially retired on 28 March 2019, five days after the decisive Battle of Baghuz Fawqani, which saw the territorial collapse of the Islamic State in Syria. He was succeeded as CENTCOM commander by General Kenneth McKenzie, USMC. [8]
In a speech on 29 July 2016, Turkish President Erdoğan accused Votel of "siding with coup plotters", [9] after Votel accused the Turkish government of arresting the Pentagon's contacts in Turkey. [10]
Votel has served as the President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). [11] He also serves as a non-resident senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, strategic advisor to aerospace manufacturer Sierra Nevada Corporation, and member of the board of trustees of Noblis. [12]
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
The United States Central Command is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF).
Vincent Keith Brooks is a retired United States Army general who last commanded United States Forces Korea, United Nations Command, and ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. He previously served as the commanding general of United States Army Pacific and prior to that as the commanding general of Third Army. Brooks was the United States Central Command Deputy Director of Operations during the War in Iraq, and frequently briefed the media, which raised his public profile. He also served as the Chief of Army Public Affairs The Pentagon. He was the deputy commander of 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad during the 2006–2008 "surge" and upon returning to the United States became the commanding general of the same division. He later was commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. Brooks assumed command in Korea on April 30, 2016 and was succeeded by Robert B. Abrams in November 2018, then retired on January 1, 2019.
Wayne Allan Downing was a four-star United States Army general born in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 and held a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University. He also served on the board of directors at a private military company, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).
Lieutenant General Thomas R. Turner II is a retired United States Army officer, who served as the commander of the 101st Airborne Division and United States Army North, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
William E. "Kip" Ward is a retired United States Army three-star general who served as the inaugural Commander of United States Africa Command from October 1, 2007 to March 8, 2011. During his long career in public service, he has taught international affairs and relations at West Point, US Military Academy; served as Commander of Stabilization Force, Operation Joint Forge, Sarajevo, Bosnia; was appointed the Secretary of State's Security Coordinator to the Israel - Palestinian Authority; Deputy Commander, Headquarters US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany; and many other progressively responsible assignments. He later retired and served as President and chief operating officer of the logistics, IT, and engineering business, Vectrus.
Lieutenant General Joseph Richard Inge was an officer of the United States Army. He served as Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command, and Vice Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado in 2007. He retired in 2007, after a 38-year career.
Curtis Michael "Mike" Scaparrotti is a retired United States Army four-star general who last served as the commander of United States European Command. He concurrently served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Scaparrotti previously served as the director of the Joint Staff. Prior to his tour with the Joint Staff, Scaparrotti served as commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and deputy commander, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan, the commanding general of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division.
R. Steven Whitcomb is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation from the University of Virginia in 1970. In his final assignment he served as Inspector General of the United States Army.
Stephen M. Twitty is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. Twitty assumed command of First United States Army on July 15, 2016, relinquishing command to become deputy commander of United States European Command on 9 August 2018. Previously, he was commanding general of Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division. Twitty was awarded the Silver Star during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Noted for his relationship with journalist David Bloom, who was embedded with his battalion during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Twitty has served in five combat deployments, including tours in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait. He has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade level during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Twitty is a graduate of South Carolina State University and a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He was inducted into the South Carolina State University ROTC Hall of Fame in 2009, and selected as one of the university's Distinguished Alumni in 2004.
David P. Fridovich is a retired lieutenant general and Green Beret in the United States Army. His position at the time of retirement was deputy commander of the U.S. military's United States Special Operations Command that directs special operations campaigns.
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.
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. LTG 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, US Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
Lieutenant General Sean Barry MacFarland is a retired three-star general who served in the United States Army.
John Francis Campbell is a retired United States Army general who was commander of the Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces – Afghanistan. He was the 16th and last commander of the International Security Assistance Force. Prior to this, he served as the 34th Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He is currently a member of the board of directors of IAP, and BAE Systems, and serves on the advisory board of Code of Support Foundation.
General Raymond Anthony Thomas III is a retired general officer of the United States Army and former commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
Gustave F. Perna is a retired United States Army four-star general who last served as the chief operating officer of the federal COVID-19 response for vaccine and therapeutics. He previously served as the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed from July 2020 until the operation's duties and responsibilities were transferred to the White House COVID-19 Response Team in February 2021. As chief operating officer of COVID-19 response, he oversaw the logistics in the United States federal government's distribution of the vaccine to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate confirmed his nomination as chief operating officer on July 2, 2020, and he assumed the office shortly after.
Kenneth Franklin McKenzie Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 14th commander of the United States Central Command from March 28, 2019 to April 1, 2022. He served as Director of the Joint Staff from July 5, 2017 after having previously served for two years as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5) on the Joint Staff.
Christopher Todd Donahue is a United States Army lieutenant general who has served 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.
Charles A. Flynn is a United States Army general who serves as commanding general of United States Army Pacific since June 4, 2021. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training (G3/5/7) of the Army Staff from June 2019 to May 2021. He is the younger brother of Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn, Donald Trump's first National Security Advisor.
Michael Erik Kurilla is a United States Army general who serves as the 15th commander of United States Central Command since April 1, 2022. He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps and before that as the chief of staff of United States Central Command.