Raymond T. Odierno

Name	Raymond T. Odierno
Placeofburial label	Place of burial
Caption	General Raymond T. Odierno, USA
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1976-present
Rank	General
Commands	United States Forces - Iraq Multi-National Force - Iraq Multi-National Corps-Iraq III Corps 4th Infantry Division 1st Cavalry Division Artillery
Battles	Gulf War Iraq War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3) Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (6) Bronze Star

Raymond T. Odierno (; born 1954) is a United States Army general who was the Commanding General, United States Forces - Iraq, a post he held until September 1, 2010. He assumed command of USF-I's predecessor, Multi-National Force - Iraq on September 16, 2008, succeeding General David Petraeus. He previously served as Commanding General, III Corps, from May 2006 to May 2008. General Odierno is known as the operational architect of the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 and is credited with implementing the counterinsurgency strategy that, along with the Sunni Awakening militia movement, led to the dramatic decrease in violence in Iraq from late 2006 to early 2008. The Weekly Standard has argued that his employment of forces to quell violence across Iraq "redefined the operational art of counterinsurgency". General Odierno is the twelfth American military officer to command at the Division, Corps, and Army level during the same conflict and only the second to have this honor since the Vietnam War.

Prior to commanding III Corps, he served as Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, where he was the primary military advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice from 3 November 2004 to 1 May 2006.

Early Life and Education

Odierno grew up in Rockaway, New Jersey, where he attended Morris Hills High School, followed by the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in June 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He later received a Master of Science degree in nuclear effects engineering from the North Carolina State University and a Master of Arts degree national security and strategy from the Naval War College. General Odierno is also a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

Family

In August 2004, his son, Lieutenant Anthony Odierno, lost his arm while leading a patrol with the 1st Cavalry Division near Baghdad International Airport. Anthony was later given the honor of throwing the ceremonial first pitch of the 2009 World Series to New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter. Anthony currently works for the Yankees organization in the stadium operations department.

Career History

Odierno's initial tours took him to United States Army Europe and U.S. Seventh Army, Germany, where he served as a Platoon Leader and Survey Officer of the 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery, 56th Field Artillery Brigade. He later served as Aide-de-Camp to the Pershing Missile Brigade’s Commanding General, BG Robert B. Hankins. Following completion of the Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Odierno was assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he commanded Service Battery and Alpha Battery. Subsequently, he served as the Battalion S3 in the 1st Battalion, 73rd Field Artillery. During Operation Desert Storm, Odierno served as the Executive Officer for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery, and then he held the same position in Division Artillery, 3rd Armored Division.

Odierno went on to command 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 7th Infantry Division, followed by command of the Division Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division. He later commanded the 4th Infantry Division and the III Corps.

His significant staff duties include 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; Director, Force Management, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, United States Army, Washington, D.C.; and Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C., where he was the primary military advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On September 1, 2010 he gave his command to General Lloyd Austin. In mid-october 2010, he will take command of U.S. Joint Forces Command.

Assignments

Decorations and Badges

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9 Overseas Service Bars.

General Odierno is the 2009 recipient of the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award for his strategic leadership and insight.

See also

Battle Command On The Move (BCOTM)

References

External links

Official Multi-National Force Iraq Website

Official Multi National Corps Iraq Website

BBC, Profile

Facebook Fan Page

Category:Living people Category:American military personnel of the Iraq War Category:Military leaders of the Iraq War Category:North Carolina State University alumni Category:People from Morris County, New Jersey Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States) Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:1954 births