Richard W. Butler | |
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Birth name | Richard Wallace Butler [1] |
Born | 1959 (age 65–66) [2] |
Service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1982–2016 |
Rank | Rear Admiral Lower Half |
Commands | VFA-25 CVW-14 Joint Task Force Guantanamo Carrier Strike Group 4 |
Richard W. Butler is a retired aviator and officer in the United States Navy. [3] [4]
He was the commandant of Joint Task Force Guantanamo from July 2013 to July 2014. [3]
Butler went on record as supporting President Barack Obama's plan to close the detention camp. [5]
Butler later served as the commanding officer of Carrier Strike Group 4 before retiring from active duty in 2016. [4]
Earlier in his career, Butler commanded Strike Fighter Squadron 25 and Carrier Air Wing 14. [4]
Butler is a 1982 graduate of the University of Kentucky. He later earned a master's degree from the National War College. [4]
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In an interview with Al Jazeera, Navy Rear Adm. Richard Butler, commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, said he agreed with Obama's pledge to shut down the detention facility, which in a month will mark 12 years since the first prisoners arrived, and has so far cost taxpayers $5 billion.