The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional. The exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration.
George Alfred Joulwan is a retired United States Army general who served for 36 years. He finished his military career as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) in 1997.
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.
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.
Roscoe Robinson Jr. was the first African American to become a four-star general in the United States Army. He served as the United States representative to the NATO Military Committee. Robinson previously served as commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division and then of United States Army, Japan.
Robert Jefferson Wood was a United States Army four-star general who helped organize the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military organization in the early 1950s and later served as director of the military assistance program from 1962 to 1965.
The secretary general of NATO is the chief civil servant of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The officeholder is an international diplomat responsible for coordinating the workings of the alliance, leading NATO's international staff, chairing the meetings of the North Atlantic Council and most major committees of the alliance, with the notable exception of the NATO Military Committee, as well as acting as NATO's spokesperson. The secretary general does not have a military command role; political, military and strategic decisions ultimately rest with the member states. Together with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee and the supreme allied commander, the officeholder is one of the foremost officials of NATO.
The commanding general of United States Army Europe and Africa was formerly known as the commander-in-chief of United States Army Europe (CINCUSAREUR). Prior to 8 May 1945 the official title was Commander, European Theater of Operations, United States Army. From 1953 to 1967 the commanding general of USAREUR was "dual hatted" as commander of the Central Army Group of NATO forces in Germany. The commanding general of USAREUR is currently "dual hatted" as the commanding general of United States Army Africa.
The Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) formerly Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe (LANDSOUTHEAST) is the standing headquarters for NATO land forces which may be assigned as necessary. The Commander LANDCOM is the primary land warfare advisor to Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the Alliance. When directed by SACEUR, it provides the core of the headquarters responsible for the conduct of land operations. The command is based at Şirinyer (Buca), İzmir in Turkey.
Frederick Benjamin "Ben" Hodges III is a retired United States Army officer who served as commanding general, United States Army Europe. He has been Senior Advisor to Human Rights First since June 2022 and also serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics. He previously held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis.
The Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC) is the deputy head of the NATO Military Committee. Originally titled as the Deputy Chairman, the post was redesignated in 2021 to reflect the gender-neutrality of the post.
Darryl Anthony Williams is a United States Army general who serves as the commanding general of United States Army Europe and Africa since 28 June 2022 and commander of Allied Land Command since 4 August 2022. He previously served as the 60th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, the first African-American to hold the position. He served as commander of Allied Land Command as a lieutenant general from 24 June 2016 to 29 June 2018.
Christopher Gerard Cavoli is a general in the United States Army who serves as the commander of United States European Command since 1 July 2022 and Supreme Allied Commander Europe since 4 July 2022. He previously served as the commanding general of United States Army Europe and Africa from October 2020 to June 2022, and before that as the commanding general of United States Army Europe from January 2018 to September 2020.
General Kōji Yamazaki is a Japanese retired general who served as the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces from April 2019 to March 2023. He previously served as the Chief of the Ground Staff at the JGSDF from August 2017 to March 2019.
Scott Andrew Kindsvater is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the 22nd Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee. He assists the Chair's role as principal adviser to the NATO Secretary General and senior military spokesman of the 30-nation alliance. He also advises the Deputy Secretary General, leads coordination of nuclear, biological and chemical matters and, in the Chair's absence, directs daily operations and the business of the Military Committee, NATO's highest military authority. Previously, he was the deputy chief of staff for operations and intelligence of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.
Stephen J. Maranian is a retired major general who served in the United States Army from 1988 to 2023. Commissioned as a Field Artillery officer, Maranian served continuously on active duty, commanding from the platoon to the two-star level. In his final assignment he served as commanding general of the 56th Artillery Command in Mainz-Kastel, Germany from 2021-2023. Maranian served in combat deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq and more than half of his career was spent overseas. Maranian holds two master's degrees and is a graduate of both the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College; he has also graduated from the NATO Defense College and the Defense Language Institute.
