Five-Star Generals: The Nine Men Who Earned the US Military's Highest Rank. They are capable of Tyler Byther/United States Marine Corps. Increased number of officers in the Marine Corps that may be appointed above grade of major general from 15 to 17, of which 15, Increased number of deputy commandants attached to Headquarters Marine Corps from 6 to 7 (. (19021996) Brother of Air Force four-star general, This page was last edited on 22 March 2023, at 23:15. Scott C. Black Daniel P. Bolger Dana Born William G. Boykin . can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as Legislation allowing the Assistant Commandant to wear the four-star insignia regardless of the strength of the Marine Corps was approved by President Gerald Ford on March 4, 1976. The person holding that billetand there have been only 20 commandants sincewas for decades the only four-star general in the Corps. One of the steps Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper has announced is to remove the photographs of officer candidates from promotion board hearings. By all accounts, Colonel Henderson does not do that. 5201, to retire in that grade. [25], In January 1942, following the United States entry into World War II, Congress increased the commandant's rank to lieutenant general, making Thomas Holcomb the first three-star Marine to serve on active duty. privacy request at our Do Not Sell page. CARLOS DEL TORO . Senior Marine leaders, when questioned about diversity in the officer corps, say they know they have a problem. Dates listed are for the officer's full tenure, which may predate promotion to four-star rank or postdate retirement from active duty. In 2019, the Navy secretary, Richard V. Spencer, even added a handwritten recommendation to Colonel Hendersons candidacy. The Marine Corps, which had passed over Colonel Henderson for four years, has placed him on a highly selective list of nine colonels to be granted a coveted one star that denotes general rank status brigadier general. performance. He did not spend his time barking at his Marines about grooming standards or attire and instead barked at them about how to stay alive. Uploaded by Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the Five men have held the rank of General of the Army (five star), George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, and Henry H. Arnold, who later became the only five-star general in the . But the issue bears a closer look. Air Force Seeks New Way to Recover Downed Troops, JADC2 Decision-Making: How the DoD Can Seamlessly Share Data to Address Threat Actors. Other exceptions exist for non-active duty or reserve appointments, as well as other circumstances. Colonel Henderson in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2008. However, you Help us tailor content specifically for you: Get all our news and commentary in your inbox at 6 a.m. Current and former Marine Corps officials point to Colonel Hendersons personality as an explanation for why he has been passed over, including what they call his tendency to speak his mind traits that have not disqualified white Marine colonels. SGT. The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 618 total. Hes an individual who will work above and beyond what is required. I couldnt believe he remembered me, Corporal Sams said. This is a list of lieutenant generals in the United States Marine Corps since 2010. Repealed statutory requirement for senior members of the United Nations Military Staff Committee to hold grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral (. Colonel Henderson, 53, was passed over three times for brigadier general. Not one has made it to the top four-star rank, an honor the Marines have, so far, bestowed solely on white men 72 of them. determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and The Marine Corps actually has given this a great deal of thought because we have struggled with the issue of diversity, said Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., one of three four-star Marine generals serving today. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley was promoted to the rank of general on Aug. 6, 2022, in a ceremony at Marine Corps Barracks Washington. It ranks above lieutenant general ( three-star general ). The number of years in commission before being promoted to three-star rank is approximated by subtracting the year in the "Commission" column from the year in the "Date of rank" column. Since Cates was senior, Truman appointed Cates first and promised to appoint Shepherd next. There have been 74 four-star generals in the history of the United States Marine Corps. US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Langley was promoted to the rank of general in a ceremony Saturday, becoming the first Black four-star general in the military branch's 246-year history. Notes include years of birth and death; awards of the. When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect Such a leader would have commanded troops in Iraq or Afghanistan, bearing responsibility for the lives of Marines who shed blood in poppy fields, mountain ranges and desolate desert villages. The organization supports educational assistance programs . While this is typically explained as self-selectionat least some Black officersface family and community pressureto learn skills that directly translate to civilian employmentit may well be that there is subtle pressure within the Marine Corps that reinforces this. department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Notes include years of birth and death; awards of the, Enlisted in 1970; honorably discharged as sergeant, 1973; commissioned as, Stewart held the position concurrently with Army lieutenant general. List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals, Dates of rank are taken, where available, from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps register of active and retired commissioned officers, or from the. A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a The Week QAnon Became Everyones Problem. Pages in category "United States Marine Corps generals" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 618 total. Black Marines point to what they consider an uneven standard when it comes to promotions for white Marine officers compared with their African-American counterparts. There are no reviews yet. By the end, the Taliban fighters withdrew toward Pakistan. visiting for our advertising and marketing efforts. This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total. Director of Missile Defense Agency", "711. ET. Black officers areunderrepresented in those specialties. (18971973) Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, 19531961. Lance Cpl. [Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011], [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017], [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020]. Lieutenant generals entered the Marine Corps via several paths: 36 via Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at a civilian university, 11 via the United States Naval Academy (USNA), nine via Officer Candidates School (OCS), and eight via NROTC at a senior military college. Join now and never hit a limit. Marine Corps Brig. All nominees for three-star rank must be confirmed via majority by the Senate before the appointee can take office and thus assume the rank.[53]. The Act of Congress of February 23, 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades. WASHINGTON All things being equal, Col. Anthony Henderson has the military background that the Marine Corps says it prizes in a general: multiple combat tours, leadership experience and the respect of those he commanded and most who commanded him. The rank of general (or full general, or four-star general) is the highest rank in the Marine Corps. List of active duty United States Marine Corps major generals, U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, U.S. Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs, List of active duty United States four-star officers, List of active duty United States three-star officers, List of active duty United States Army major generals, List of active duty United States rear admirals, List of active duty United States Air Force major generals, List of active duty United States Space Force general officers, List of active duty United States senior enlisted leaders and advisors, List of current United States National Guard major generals, List of United States Army four-star generals, List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals, List of United States Navy four-star admirals, List of United States Air Force four-star generals, List of United States Coast Guard four-star admirals, "Marine Corps General Officers and Senior Enlisted Leaders", "PN2799 Marine Corps, 117th Congress (2021-2022)", "PN1429 Marine Corps, 117th Congress (2021-2022)", "Marine Aviator Major General James H. Adams Is Armed Forces Day Keynote Speaker; Parade Includes 9-School Mass Band, ROTC Units", "Maj. Gen Salene Promotion [Image 4 of 4]", "J5 Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate", "Michael J. Borgschulte - Manpower Management, M&RA, Headquarters Marine Corps", "RESERVE AFFAIRS DIVISION (RA) REORGANIZATION", "FISCAL YEAR 2023 BILLET ASSIGNMENTS FOR RESERVE SERGEANTS MAJOR AND FIRST SERGEANTS FOR INITIAL AND SUBSEQUENT TOURS", "Marine Corps General Officers and Senior Enlisted Leaders, May 2021", "Commanding General, MAGTF Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center", "Maj. Gen. Austin 'Sparky' Renforth, Wheeling Native, To Retire", "Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations Pacific", "Yesterday, I changed command of the Joint Forces Staff College", "Commanding General, Marine Corps Logistics Command", "Marine Corps Information Command to be activated in FY23, commanded by the service's cyber and space leader", "Marine Corps Forces Space Command is here", "Leadership - Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command", "Major General King Assumes Command of Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa", "MARSOC bids farewell to Maj. Gen. James F. Glynn", "Commanding General, Third Marine Aircraft Wing", "Cherry Point to hold change of command ceremony for major general Thursday", "Commanding General - Major General Eric E. Austin", "Program Executive Office Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault & Special Mission", Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_active_duty_United_States_Marine_Corps_major_generals&oldid=1149740743, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The rank of lieutenant general (or three-star general) is the second-highest rank in the Marine Corps, and the first to have a specific number of authorized positions for it set by statute. Indeed, it is a longstanding custom, as RAND notes, that when a Marine Corps officer is promoted to the grade of O-7, they receive letters from other Marine Corps GOs including advice and a reminder that the distinction could just as easily been afforded to ten of their colleagues, and to take the responsibility of the rank seriously and humbly.. Only 25 African-Americans in the Marines have reached general in any form. News, analysis, and ideas driving the future of U.S. defense: straight to your inbox. Deputy Director for Current and Integrated Operations (J-3), Director, Expeditionary Warfare (N95), Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, This page was last edited on 14 April 2023, at 04:40. This may impact the A respected, combat-tested Black colonel has been passed over three times for promotion to brigadier general. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your It is conceivable that the explanation is something other than racial bias. If he does not make it the results will not be announced for months his acquaintances say he is likely to leave the Marines. Hes exactly the kind of warrior-scholar America needs in its senior ranks. It would behoove the Marine Corps to make more detailed information available to scholars for examination. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! [52] Internationally-based three-star positions include the United States military representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP) and the security coordinator for the Palestinian National Authority in Israel. Commandant of the Marine Corps. Army colonels (like their counterparts in the Navy and Air Force) maintain their branch or functional area specialization. 2023 by Government Media Executive Group LLC. At the President's behest, the House Military Affairs Committee approved only the four-star promotion for the chief of staff. Since the Corps first admitted African-American troops in 1942, the last military service to do so, only 25 have obtained the rank of general in any form. [28][29], Unlike Holcomb, whose three-star rank was an aspect of his office of commandant, Vandegrift and Smith held personal three-star grades that followed them regardless of assignment, as did every other temporary lieutenant general appointed before the Officer Personnel Act of 1947 made all three-star ranks ex officio. The Act of Congress of March 4, 1925, allowed officers in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. The African-American Marines said they were happy for Colonel Williamson, whose background is communications, but added that they were ecstatic for Colonel Henderson because he comes from the combat arms background that can lead to four stars. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org But Colonel Henderson is a Black man with combat command experience in a service the Marines that has never, in its 245-year history, had a four-star officer who was not a white man. There is nothing in Colonel Hendersons official record that suggests that, according to interviews with white, Black and Asian Marine officers. Yet three times he has been passed over for brigadier general, a prominent one-star rank that would put Colonel Henderson on the path to the top tier of Marine Corps leadership. There have been 51 three-star . [47]) At Cates' request, Shepherd gave him the three-star job commanding Marine Corps Schools, repaying his support for Shepherd's succession. One lieutenant general commanded Marines deployed overseas under Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and a second lieutenant general commanded Marines being readied for deployment under Marine Training and Replacement Command. But to Black Marines, the photo evokes a place where they do not belong. See also United States admirals. The Officer Personnel Act of 1947 authorized only two lieutenant generals for the Marine Corps after 1 July 1948, except during war or national emergency. It ranks above major general (two-star general) and below general (four-star general). Early promotions to these wartime grades therefore rewarded past personal triumphsGuadalcanal for Vandegrift and Tarawa for Smithas much as future organizational efficiency.[26]. Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active. web. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. Congress expanded eligibility in 1938 to cover officers with a qualifying combat citation from any time period who retired for any reason,[22] allowing James C. Breckinridge to become the first three-star Marine when he retired with a tombstone promotion to lieutenant general in October 1941. The two lieutenant generals were assigned to command the operating forces in the Pacific and Atlantic. At one point, Colonel Henderson challenged the entire battalion to a fight after a hazing episode in the barracks rippled through the ranks. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Even the above-cited RAND report, which is the source of most of the data in this essay and which was commissioned by various Defense Department offices, had to rely only on Defense Manpower Data Center data because they were denied access to service data. All six have garnered respect across the political spectrum. He will now be the first four-star. Colonel Henderson declined to be interviewed for The Times article last August, and had not been reached for comment Thursday morning. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. Any lieutenant general was a viable candidate for commandant if he was young enough to complete a full four-year term before reaching the statutory retirement age of 62, as were prominent major generals. Colonel Hendersons career in the Marine Corps had in the meantime proceeded at a brisk pace, as he carried out one high-profile assignment after another. GEN. DAVID H. BERGER. You may opt out of our use of such Tyler Byther, Lower the Rhetoric on China, Says Milley, Ukraine Victory Unlikely This Year, Milley Says, Whats Next in US Hypersonic Efforts as Air Force Shelves ARRW, The Navy Wants Drones to Counter Chinas Gray-Zone Moves, Space Force Is Building a Virtual Training Ground for Space Conflict, Yes, I want to receive occasional updates from partners. There have been 74 four-star generals in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Few three-star positions are set by statute, leading to their increased volatility as they do not require congressional approval to be downgraded. traffic on our website. To be sure, it is only recently that the Corps has had four-star officers in any abundance. Against this record, the Marines lack of even a single Black four-star merits investigation. Brown Jr. being sworn in this month as the Air Force chief of staff at the White House. your data under the CCPA. But some also expressed anger that the pace of advancement for Black officers in the Corps has been so slow. Only 25 African-Americans have reached general in any form in the Marine Corps, and only one other Brig. Updated Wed Dec 21 10:00:27 EST 2022. sale of your personal information to third parties. The following is a list of the prominent names in U.S. Marine Corps lorethe people who make up what the Marines call "knowledge". The number of officers in the Marine Corps (per the 2017 NDAA) who may hold the grade of lieutenant general after subtracting the two officers holding the grade of general is 15. Bettmann / Getty Images 2. Repealed statutory requirement for the principal military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Navy (research, development and acquisition) to hold grade of lieutenant general in the Marine Corps or vice admiral in the Navy. [f], The rank of lieutenant general in the Marine Corps was first proposed in 1918, when the Senate Naval Affairs Committee tried to increase the rank of the major general commandant and his three senior staff officers for the duration of World War I. Instigated by the incumbent commandant, George Barnett, the proposal was blocked by Navy secretary Josephus Daniels and House Naval Affairs Committee member Thomas S. Butler, who was outraged that the headquarters staff would gain a lieutenant general commandant and three major generals at a time when no Marine major generals were deployed in the field. Entries in the following list of four-star generals are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was promoted to that rank while on active duty, or by an asterisk (*) if the officer did not serve in that rank while on active duty. In The Marine Corps' First Black . Related Articles. Since the Army still had no lieutenant generals and Navy secretary Curtis D. Wilbur felt the commandant was not equivalent to a three-star fleet commander in the Navy, Lejeune's promotion died in committee. Six African-American general officers in the United States Marine Corps. All rights reserved. In 2013, the branch released a photo of its six four-star generals, all gathered in desert camouflage at the commandants home at the Marine Barracks in Washington: John F. Kelly, Jim Mattis, Joseph F. Dunford Jr., James F. Amos, John R. Allen and John M. Paxton. For one thing, most Marines are directly led by noncommissioned officers, whose ranks are much more diverse. For example, Allen H. Turnage retired after a major general, Clifton B. Cates, was selected to be commandant in 1947,[42] as did all five lieutenant generals after another major general, David M. Shoup, was selected in 1959. Out of 82 Marine generals overall today, there are six African-American brigadier generals and one African-American major general. Alexander Vandergrift, who became Commandant in 1944, was the services first four-star. Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. [46], When Cates stepped down as commandant, he had to stay on active duty because a 1951 law froze voluntary officer retirements by withholding retired pay from any regular officer who retired for any reason other than age, disability, hardship, or the best interests of the service. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking The news that Colonel Henderson, along with another Black Marine Col. Ahmed T. Williamson, the military assistant to the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps had made the cut for brigadier general lit up the telephone and text lines of Black Marines stationed around the world. Aside from exemplary performance as an Infantry officer through his long career, with a desirable mix of fleet and broadening assignments, he has excelled in the classroom, participating in prestigious programs at MIT and Harvard in addition to staff and war college. In 1942, it led the first Black recruits to the Marines. Black people make up 22.7% of enlisted soldiers, 16.5% of warrant officers and 11% of officers on active duty as of July. [36] The exceptions were Keller E. Rockey and Robert H. Pepper, who preferred to revert to major general rather than retire at the end of their three-star assignments;[37] Thomas E. Watson, who relinquished command of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific for an assignment at Headquarters Marine Corps, but retired for ill health only three months later;[38] Merwin H. Silverthorn, who was too young to retire for age when his three-star assignment ended and Congress had suspended early retirements;[39] and Verne J. McCaul, who chose to sacrifice a fourth star to stay on active duty until the new commandant took office two months after tombstone promotions ended.
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