Raymond T. Odierno

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Raymond T. Odierno

Lieutenant General Raymond T. Odierno
Allegiance	U.S. Army
Years of service	1976-present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	III Corps 4th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Legion of Merit (6) Bronze Star

Lieutenant General Raymond T. Odierno was assigned as the Commanding General of U.S. III Corps and Fort Hood on 15 May 2006. In December 2006, as III Corps uncased its colors at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Odierno was also Commanding General of Multi-National Corps Iraq.

His previous assignment brought him to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. as the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 3 November 2004 to 1 May 2006.

Odierno commanded the U.S. 4th Infantry Division (4th ID) from October 2001 to June 2004 during which he deployed the division to Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2003 to April 2004. Odierno's troops captured Saddam Hussein in December 2003.

Odierno's tenure as 4th ID commander in Iraq and his unit's actions there have subsequently come under criticism from several sources. Many officers from the 1st Marine Division were critical of 4th ID's belligerent stance during their initial entry into Iraq after the ground war had ceased and the unit's lack of a 'hearts and minds' approach to counter-insurgency. Several authors have echoed similar criticisms shared with them by other military personnel in the theater.^[1] In his and his unit's defense Odierno strenuously argued that the situation required such an approach.

General Odierno grew up in Rockaway, New Jersey where he attended Morris Hills High School, followed by the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated in June 1976 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Later, General Odierno attended North Carolina State University and the Naval War College, receiving Masters degrees in Nuclear Effects Engineering and National Security and Strategy, respectively. General Odierno is also a graduate of the Army War College.

General Odierno’s initial tours took him to United States Army Europe and U.S. Seventh Army, Germany where he served as Platoon leader and Survey Officer of the 1st Battalion, US 41st Field Artillery Brigade, 56th Field Artillery Brigade as well as Aide-de-Camp to the Brigade’s Commanding General. Following completion of the Artillery Officer Advance Course, General Odierno was assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he commanded Service Battery, Alpha Battery, and served as Battalion S3 in the 1st Battalion, 73rd Field Artillery. Additionally, during Operation Desert Storm, General Odierno served as the Executive Officer first for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery and then the Division Artillery, 3rd Armored Division.

Prior to commanding the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, General Odierno went on to command 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 7th Infantry Division followed by command of the Division Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division. Significant staff duties includes Arms Control Officer, Office of the Secretary of Defense; Chief of Staff, United States V Corps, United States Army Europe; Assistant Division Commander (Support), U.S. 1st Armored Division; Deputy Commanding General, TASK FORCE HAWK, Albania; and Director, Force Management, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, United States Army, Washington D.C.

Lieutenant General Odierno's awards include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with five oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.