| Lloyd James Austin III | |
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Army Gen Lloyd J. Austin III, U.S. Army |
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| Born | August 8, 1953 Mobile, Alabama[1] |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1975-present |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | United States Forces - Iraq XVIII Airborne Corps 10th Mountain Division 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit |
Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a United States Army general who served as the last Commanding General of United States Forces - Iraq.[2] Austin was confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 2010, to replace General Ray Odierno and to lead Operation New Dawn, which lasted until December 15, 2011. [3] Austin has been nominated [4] and confirmed [5] on December 14, 2011 to be Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
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Lloyd James Austin III was born on August 8, 1953 in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) with a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1975. He also earned a Master's Degree in Education from Auburn University, and a Master's Degree in Business Management from Webster University. 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.
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.
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.[6][7] As commander of MNC-I, he directed the operations of approximately 152,000 joint and coalition forces in all sectors of Iraq.[8]
He handed over command of XVIII Corps to become Director of the Joint Staff in August 2009.
On September 1, 2010 he became Commanding General of US forces Iraq. At a ceremony at the al-Faw palace in Bagdad, Iraq after the US 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.[9]
| Combat Action Badge |
| Expert Infantryman Badge |
| Master Parachutist Badge |
| Ranger tab |
| Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |
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Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| Distinguished Service Medal | |
| Silver Star | |
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Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
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Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal | |
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Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters |
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | |
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Army Commendation Medal, with six oak leaf clusters |
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Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| Secretary's Distinguished Service Award, Department of State |
2007 inductee to the Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame [11]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Franklin L. Hagenbeck |
Commander, 10th Mountain Division 2003–2005 |
Succeeded by Benjamin C. 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. Mission ended after the withdrawl of the last American troops. |