Eric Ken Shinseki is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army (1999–2003). Shinseki is a veteran of two tours of combat in the Vietnam War, in which he was awarded three Bronze Star Medals for valor and two Purple Hearts. He was the first Asian-American four-star general, and the first Asian-American Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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).
Martin Edward Dempsey, sometimes known as Marty Dempsey, is a retired United States Army general who served as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2011 until September 25, 2015. He previously served as the 37th Chief of Staff of the Army from April 11, 2011, to September 7, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, from December 8, 2008, to April 11, 2011, as Acting Commander, U.S. Central Command, from March 24, 2008, to October 30, 2008, as Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, from August 2007 to March 23, 2008, and as Commanding General, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC-I), from August 2005 to August 2007. Dempsey assumed his assignment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 1, 2011 and stepped down from the Chairmanship on September 25, 2015. He now serves as a professor at Duke University and as a chairman of USA Basketball.
Robert Michael Gates is an American statesman, scholar, intelligence analyst, and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by President George W. Bush but was retained for service by President Barack Obama. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the United States Air Force but was quickly recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Gates served for 26 years in the CIA and the National Security Council, and was Director of Central Intelligence under President George H. W. Bush. After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton, that studied the lessons of the Iraq War.
The 98th Infantry Division ("Iroquois") was a unit of the United States Army in the closing months of World War I and during World War II. The unit is now one of the U.S. Army Reserve's training divisions, officially known as the 98th Training Division. The 98th Training Division's current primary mission is to conduct Initial Entry Training (IET) for new soldiers. It is one of three training divisions subordinate to the 108th Training Command (IET).
General Larry D. Welch is a retired United States Air Force four star general who served as the 12th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As Chief of Staff, he served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of a combined active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian force serving at locations in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he and the other service chiefs functioned as the principal military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the President. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Nuclear Weapon Surety Task Force for the Defense Science Board.
Lloyd James Austin III is a retired Four-Star General of the United States Army. He was the 12th commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Austin was the first black commander to head the organization. Prior to his assignment in CENTCOM, Austin served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January 31, 2012, to March 8, 2013. His assignments prior to CENTCOM were as the last Commanding General of United States Forces – Iraq, Operation New Dawn, which ended on December 18, 2011, and then Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. On December 6, 2012, the Pentagon announced that President Barack Obama had nominated Austin to lead the U.S. Central Command. Austin was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 5, 2013, and assumed command on March 22, 2013. On April 5, 2016, Austin's retirement ceremony took place at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall. He received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and others.
Hansford Tillman (HT) Johnson is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force who served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Navy, overseeing the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the administration of President George W. Bush. He is the only retired Air Force officer to ever hold that position. Prior to that he was Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He currently works at the Institute for Defense Analyses.
Herbert Raymond McMaster is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. In 2017, he became the 26th National Security Advisor, serving under President Donald Trump until 2018. Additionally, he is known for his roles in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Victor Eugene "Gene" Renuart Jr. is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. His last military assignment was as the commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command from March 23, 2007, to May 19, 2010. Prior to that, he served as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff. Renuart retired from the Air Force on July 1, 2010, after over 39 years of service.
William B. "Bill" Caldwell IV is a retired United States Army officer and the current President of Georgia Military College. Caldwell's final military assignment was as Commanding General of United States Army North, also known as the Fifth Army.
Lt. Gen. Douglas Edward Lute is a U.S. public servant who served as the United States Permanent Representative to NATO from 2013 to 2017. He was nominated for the post by President Obama on May 23, 2013, and assumed his position on September 3, 2013.
John R. Allen is the president of the Brookings Institution, 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.
Joseph Francis Dunford Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps general, who served as the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2015 until September 30, 2019. He was the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Dunford is the first Marine Corps officer to serve in four different four-star positions; the others include commander of the International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces – Afghanistan from February 2013 until August 2014, and as the 32nd Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from October 23, 2010, to December 15, 2012. He has commanded several units, including the 5th Marine Regiment during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
William Evans "Bill" Gortney is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the sixth commander of United States Northern Command and the 23rd commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He previously served as the Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command from September 14, 2012 to December 2014 and Director of the Joint Staff from July 1, 2010 to August 2012. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet. He assumed his post as CDRUSNORTHCOM and commander of NORAD on December 5, 2014, and was succeeded by General Lori Robinson on May 13, 2016.
Joseph Leonard Votel 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. Before that, he served as commander of the United States Special Operations Command.
Charles Hemming Jacoby Jr. is a retired United States Army general who served as the fifth Commander of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the 22nd Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Jacoby was the first army officer to assume command of Northern Command. He previously served as the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, The Joint Staff. He assumed command of USNORTHCOM and NORAD on August 3, 2011, and was succeeded by Admiral William E. Gortney on December 5, 2014. Jacoby is notable as the first non-command pilot to serve as commander of either NORAD/USNORTHCOM, as both commands have traditionally been dominated by Air Force officers and NORAD carries a heavy air interdiction mission.
Mark Alexander Milley is a United States Army general and the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Chairman, he is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces. He previously served as 39th Chief of Staff of the Army.
John Frederick "Jeff" Kimmons is a retired American Lieutenant General, who served as United States Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Commanding General, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command and Chief of Staff to the Director of National Intelligence. He was instrumental in the development of Army Field Manual, FM 2-22.3, Human Intelligence Collector Operations, which was the Army's response to actions at Abu Ghraib prison. Kimmons retired from active service on December 1, 2010 after 35 years.
Lieutenant General Darrell K. Williams, USA is a serving general officer in the United States Army who is director of the Defense Logistics Agency. He was previously the Commanding General, Combined Arms Support Command, the Sustainment Center of Excellence (SCoE) as well as the Senior Mission Commander for Fort Lee, Virginia.
