Lloyd Austin
| Lloyd James Austin III | |
|---|---|
 Austin in April 2013, during his tenure as the commander of U.S. Central Command. | |
| Birth name | Lloyd James Austin III |
| Born |
August 8, 1953 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1975–2016 |
| Rank |
 General |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a United States Army general. He was the 12th commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Austin is the first African American to head the organization.[1] Prior to current assignment, General Austin served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January 31, 2012 to March 8, 2013. His previous assignment was as the last Commanding General of United States Forces - Iraq, Operation New Dawn, which lasted until December 15, 2011. On December 6, 2012, the Pentagon announced that President Obama had nominated General Austin to lead the U.S. Central Command.[2] Austin was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 5, 2013, and assumed command on March 22, 2013. Of his service in Iraq, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said:
“During his final deployment to Iraq, Gen. Austin led our military efforts at a particularly important time, overseeing the drawdown of U.S. forces and equipment while simultaneously helping to ensure that hard-fought security gains were preserved and that Iraqis could secure and govern themselves.”
Early life and education
Austin was born on August 8, 1953 in Mobile, Alabama[3] and raised in Thomasville, Georgia. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) with a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1975. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in counselor education from Auburn University's College of Education in 1986, and another Master of Arts in business management from Webster University in 1989. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.
Career
Austin was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation from West Point. His initial assignment was to the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader in A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry and Scout Platoon Leader in the Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry. Following this assignment and attendance at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he commanded the Combat Support Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry and served as the Assistant S-3 (Operations) for 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.
In 1981, Austin was assigned to Indianapolis, Indiana where he served as the Operations Officer for the U.S. Army Indianapolis District Recruiting Command and later commanded a company in the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion. Upon completing this assignment, he attended Auburn University where he completed studies for a Master's Degree in Education. He was then assigned to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he served as a Company Tactical Officer. After his selection and subsequent completion of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York, where he served as the S-3 (Operations) and later Executive Officer for the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry. He subsequently served as Executive Officer for 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and later as Director of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security for Fort Drum, New York.
In 1993, Austin returned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He later served as the G-3 for the 82nd Airborne Division. Following graduation from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, he commanded the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Shortly after Brigade command, he was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. where he served as Chief, Joint Operations Division, J-3, on the Joint Staff. His next assignment was as Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia. As the ADC-M, he helped spearhead the division's invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Austin served from September 2003 until August 2005 as the Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), with duty as Commander, Combined Joint Task Force-180, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. His next position was Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command at MacDill AFB, in Tampa, Florida from September 2005 until October 2006.
On December 8, 2006, Austin was promoted to Lieutenant General, and assumed command of the XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Austin handed over command of XVIII Corps to become Director of the Joint Staff in August 2009.
In February 2008, Austin became the second highest ranking commander in Iraq, taking command of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq (MNC-I), replacing Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno.[4][5] As commander of MNC-I, he directed the operations of approximately 152,000 joint and coalition forces in all sectors of Iraq.[6]
Commanding General of U.S. Forces – Iraq
On September 1, 2010 he became Commanding General of U.S. Forces – Iraq at a ceremony at the al-Faw palace in Baghdad, Iraq after American combat missions ended. He took over from General Ray Odierno. Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen presided over the ceremony.[7] Lloyd Austin's deployment in Iraq finished on December 18, 2011.
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Austin was nominated[8] and confirmed[9] on December 14, 2011 to be the next Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.[10] He took office as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army on January 31, 2012.[11]
U.S. CENTCOM Commander
On 22 March 2013, he became the Commander of CENTCOM.
In January 2016 the president nominated General Joseph Votel to succeed Austin.[12] Austin's retirement ceremony took place on April 5, and he officially retired on May 1, 2016.
Awards and decorations
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2007 inductee to the Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame.[15]
Notes
- ↑ , Guardian, March 22, 2013
- ↑ "Secretary Panetta Statement on Intent to Nominate CENTCOM Commander". Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ↑
- ↑ Bigenho, Sgt. Laura (February 18, 2008). "LTG Austin takes command of MNC-I, Generals honor Odierno for efforts in stabilizing Iraq". The Victory Times (CENTCOM) II (7): 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-11.
- ↑ Bigenho, Sgt. Laura M. (February 15, 2008). "Austin Assumes Command of Multinational Corps Iraq". U.S. Department of Defense. American Forces Press Service. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ↑ "DoD News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Austin III from Iraq" (News Transcript). U.S. Department of Defense. June 23, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ↑ The Skanner. "The Skanner News - 404 Error". The Skanner News. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ↑ "General Officer Announcements". 30 September 2011. United States Department of Defense. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
- ↑ "NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED (NON-CIVILIAN)". 14 December 2011. United States Senate. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
- ↑ "Vice Chief of Staff of the Army - The United States Army". army.mil. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ↑ "Austin sworn in as vice chief of staff".
- ↑ Mehta, Aaron; Tilghman, Andrew (January 14, 2016). "US Army Gen. Joseph Votel Officially Named as CENTCOM Nominee". Defense News (Springfield, VA).
- ↑ "Lloyd James Austin , III". Military Times Hall of Valor. Gannett. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
"Set to Lead CENTCOM, Gen. Lloyd Austin ’89 Welcomes Webster Leaders". Webster Today. Webster University. February 18, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2014.He is also the recipient of the Silver Star for valor as a general officer for leading from the front during the 3rd Infantry Division’s march to Baghdad more than eight years ago.
Tyson, Ann Scott (January 13, 2008). "Hands-On General Is Next No. 2 in Iraq". Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2014.Austin, 54, was a pivotal figure in the invasion of Iraq. Leading the forward headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division as it spearheaded the march to Baghdad, he gained a reputation for showing up unexpectedly in the heat of battle. He received a Silver Star for gallantry in combat.
- ↑ Awards & Decorations
- ↑ "Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame - Lloyd Austin". Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
References
- "Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III , Commanding General XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg". CENTCOM. Archived from Official biography the original Check
|url=value (help) on 2008-10-11. - "Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III, Commanding General Multinational Corps-Iraq". Leaders. Multinational Corps-Iraq. October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
- "Biden marks transfer of U.S. command in Iraq". Leaders. Multinational Corps-Iraq. September 1, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lloyd Austin. |
- "Multi-National Corps – Iraq website". CENTCOM. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
- Complete transcript and audio and video of Gen. Austin speech on assuming command of USF-I
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Franklin L. Hagenbeck |
Commander, 10th Mountain Division 2003–2005 |
Succeeded by Benjamin Freakley |
| Preceded by John Vines |
Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps 2006–2009 |
Succeeded by Frank Helmick |
| Preceded by Raymond Odierno |
Commanding General, Multi-National Corps - Iraq 2008 – April 2009 |
Succeeded by Charles Jacoby |
| Preceded by Raymond Odierno |
Commanding General, United States Forces - Iraq September 1, 2010 – December 18, 2011 |
Succeeded by None, post disbanded. |
| Preceded by Peter W. Chiarelli |
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army January 31, 2012 – March 8, 2013 |
Succeeded by John F. Campbell |
| Preceded by James Mattis |
Commander of United States Central Command March 22, 2013 - March 30, 2016 |
Succeeded by Joseph Votel |
| ||||||||
