Robert W. Cone
| Robert W. Cone | |
|---|---|
 Cone in June 2011 | |
| Born |
March 19, 1957 Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1979-present |
| Rank |
 General |
| Unit | United States Army Training and Doctrine Command |
| Commands held |
III Corps and Fort Hood, Texas National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment |
| Combat Operations |
Global War on Terrorism
|
| Awards |
 Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal |
Robert William Cone (born March 19, 1957) is a United States Army four-star general who last served as the commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. He assumed command of TRADOC on 29 April 2011.[1] He previously served as the commander of Fort Hood and III Corps on 22 September 2009 where he also deployed to Iraq in February 2010, and served as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations, United States Forces – Iraq, until February 2011.[2] Prior to that, he served as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in Fort Monroe, VA.[3] He is in Afghanistan on peacekeeping.[4]
Education
Cone is a native of Manchester, New Hampshire, born in 1957.[5] He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1979 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Armor Branch. Cone earned a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin
His military education includes the Naval War College, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and the Armor Officer Basic Course.
Career
Cone has served in a variety of command, staff, and operational assignments in the United States, Germany, and Southwest Asia.
Cone's first duty assignment was in the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served as a Platoon Leader and Troop Executive Officer in the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (2-1 CAV). In October 1981 Cone became the Aide-de-Camp to the Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Armored Division. He then served as the Battalion Maintenance Officer, Combat Service Support Company Commander, and Tank Company Commander in the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment (1-67 AR).
Cone attended the Infantry Advanced Course in 1985 followed by graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. Next, Cone served as an Instructor and Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point.
After selection and completion of U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Cone reported to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse Regiment) in Fulda, Germany. Cone served as the 2nd Squadron Operations Officer (S-3) during Operation Desert Storm, became the Regimental Operations Officer (S-3) in November 1991, then the Regimental Executive Officer in March 1993. He left the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the spring of 1994.
Next, Cone moved to Fort Bliss, Texas, and became the Regimental Executive Officer of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Brave Rifles). He assumed command of the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in October 1994. After Squadron Command, he served as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General, Fort Carson, Colorado, then reported to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in the summer of 1997.
Cone became the Division Operations Officer (G-3) of the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas, in July 1998. He assumed command of the 2d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, the following year. His brigade deployed to South Korea as part of Exercise Foal Eagle. Additionally, he led his Brigade in the Army's Division Capstone Exercise in April 2001 as the culminating event in the development of the heavy digital force.
Following Brigade Command, Cone served as the Director of the Joint Advanced Warfighting Program, Institute for Defense Analyses located in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was responsible for developing joint force concepts and experiments. He participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 as the Director of the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) Joint Lessons Learned Collection Team. Cone was tasked to capture, document, and report real time lessons learned from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. His work led to the establishment of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis at JFCOM. After returning from the Middle East, Cone served as the Director of the JFCOM Joint Center for Operational Analysis in Suffolk, Virginia.
Commanding General, National Training Center
In September 2004, Cone became the Commanding General of the U.S. Army's National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California. During his 33-month command, Cone implemented a broad array of changes reorienting training on counterinsurgency operations. In conjunction with the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), Cone established the Joint Center of Operational Excellence in training for the defeat of improvised explosive devices at the NTC.
Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan
Cone deployed to Afghanistan in June 2007 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and assumed command of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan. His 18-month command focused on developing the Afghan National Army and Police. During his tenure, the Afghan National Army expanded from 50,000 troops to close to 80,000 and a broad array of reforms were implemented to address corruption and training in the Afghan National Police.
After returning from Afghanistan, he served as the Special Assistant to the Army Chief of Staff then became the Special Assistant to the Commanding General of the Army's United States Army Training and Doctrine Command where he was responsible for officer and enlisted soldier Initial Entry Training.
Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood
In September 2009, Cone assumed command of III Corps and Fort Hood, Texas. In March 2010, Lieutenant General Cone deployed to Iraq with III Corps Headquarters and became the Deputy Commanding General for Operations, the second highest-ranking military officer in United States Forces – Iraq until 8 February 2011. He had responsibility for operations throughout the entire country including the development and training of fielded Iraqi Security Forces. He oversaw the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom and counterinsurgency operations to Operation New Dawn and stability operations. This transition included the drawdown of servicemembers from roughly 100,000 to less than 50,000 and the transfer of more than 120 bases, the largest single movement of military personnel and equipment since World War II. General Cone returned to Ft. Hood on 9 February 2011.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Army Achievement Medal, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge. General Cone is also the recipient of the Ghazi Wazir Mohammad Akbar Kahn State Medal from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[6]
Dates of rank
| Rank | Date |
|---|---|
| General | April 29, 2011 |
 Lieutenant General | September 23, 2009 |
 Major General | |
 Brigadier General | September 2004 |
 Colonel | Nov 1999 |
 Lieutenant Colonel | Dec 1995 |
 Major | Aug 1989 |
 Captain | July 1983 |
 First Lieutenant | June 1981 |
 Second Lieutenant | May 1979 |
Assignment History
| From | To | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 79 | Sep 81 | Platoon Leader, B Troop, later Executive Officer, A Troop, 2d Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 2d Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| Oct 81 | Jul 82 | AidedeCamp to the Assistant Division Commander, 2d Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| Jul 82 | Nov 82 | Battalion Maintenance Officer, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor, 2d Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| Nov 82 | Jan 85 | Commander, D Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor, 2d Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| Jan 85 | Jun 85 | Student, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia |
| Jun 85 | May 87 | Student, University of Texas, Austin, Texas |
| May 87 | Aug 90 | Instructor, later Assistant Professor, Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York |
| Aug 90 | Jun 91 | Student, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |
| Jun 91 | Nov 91 | S3(Operations), 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, V Corps, United States Army Europe
and Seventh Army, Germany and OPERATION DESERT STORM, Kuwait |
| Nov 91 | Feb 94 | Operations Officer, later Executive Officer, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, V Corps, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany |
| Feb 94 | Oct 94 | Executive Officer, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, III Corps, Fort Bliss, Texas |
| Oct 94 | Dec 96 | Commander, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, III Corps, Fort Bliss, Texas, later Fort Carson, Colorado |
| Dec 96 | Jul 97 | Special Assistant to the Commanding General, Fort Carson, Colorado |
| Aug 97 | Jun 98 | Student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island |
| Jun 98 | Jun 99 | G3(Operations), 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas |
| Jun 99 | Jun 01 | Commander, 2d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas |
| Jul 01 | Mar 03 | Director, Joint Advanced Warfighting Program, Institute for Defense Analysis, Alexandria, Virginia |
| Mar 03 | Jul 03 | Director, Joint Advanced Warfighting Program, Institute for Defense Analyses with duty as Director, Joint Lessons Learned Collection Team, United States Central Command, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, Qatar |
| Jul 03 | Aug 04 | Director, Joint Center for Lessons Learned, United States Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, Virginia |
| Sep 04 | Jun 07 | Commanding General, National Training Center and Fort Irwin, Fort Irwin, California |
| Jun 07 | Dec 08 | Commanding General, Combined Security Transition CommandAfghanistan,
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan |
| Dec 08 | Feb 09 | Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, United States Army, Washington, DC |
| Feb 09 | Sep 09 | Special Assistant to the Commanding General, Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia |
| Sep 09 | Apr 11 | Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood, Fort Hood, Texas[7] |
| Feb 10 | Feb 11 | Deputy Commanding General of Operations, United States Forces, Iraq[8] |
| Apr 11 | Mar 14 | Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command[9] |
References
- ↑ "Gen. Robert W. Cone assumes command of TRADOC". U.S. Army.
- ↑ "Insurgents Renew Attacks on Iraqi Security Troops". New York Times. January 19, 2011.
- ↑
- ↑ "Perkins gets nod for TRADOC command; Cone to retire". Army Times.
- ↑ Association of Graduates U.S.M.A.; United States Military Academy. West Point Alumni Foundation (1989). Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy. Retrieved 2014-12-02.
- ↑ From Fort Hood Public Affairs and the Office of the Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood.
- ↑ Nick Delgado. "Fort Hood: MacFarland Assumes Command Of Post, III Corps". kwtx.com.
- ↑ From US Army GOMO File, as of JAN 2010
- ↑ Nick Delgado. "Fort Hood: MacFarland Assumes Command Of Post, III Corps". kwtx.com.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert W. Cone. |
- Official United States Forces - Iraq Website
- Official III Corps and Fort Hood Website
- Official U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Website
- Cone's presentation at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library on November 11, 2013
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by MG Robert Durbin |
Commander of Combined Security Transition Command — Afghanistan June 16, 2007 – December 18, 2008 |
Succeeded by MG Richard Formica |
| Preceded by Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby |
Deputy Commanding General for Operations, United States Forces — Iraq March 13, 2010 – February 8, 2011 |
Succeeded by Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick |
| Preceded by Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch |
Commanding General of III Corps September 22, 2009 – April 22, 2011 |
Succeeded by Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell |
| Preceded by Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch |
Commanding General of Fort Hood September 22, 2009 – April 22, 2011 |
Succeeded by Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell |
| Preceded by Gen. Martin E. Dempsey |
Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command 2011 – March 2014 |
Succeeded by David G. Perkins |