General David D. McKiernan is the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan and also the commander of NATO's International Security Asssistance Force (ISAF). He entered the Army in 1972, receiving an ROTC commission from the College of William and Mary. He has served from platoon leader to numbered Army commander in Europe, CONUS, Korea and Southwest Asia. His assignments have included tours of duty in 1st Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 1st Armored Division, 3rd Armored Division, 1st Cavalry Division, VII Corps and 3rd US Army. General McKiernan commanded 1st Battalion, 35th Armor (Iron Knights), 1st Armored Division, 1988-1990, 1st Brigade (Iron Horse) 1st Cavalry Division, 1993-1995, 1st Calvary Division, 1999-2001 and 3rd U.S. Army/Combined Forces Land Component Command, 2002-2004.
He has also served as the Operations Officer at every level of command from battalion to HQDA
In July 1996, General McKiernan joined the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff G-2/G-3 both forward deployed in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and also in Rheindahlen, Germany. General McKiernan was next assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in November 1997 where he served as the Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) until August 1998.
From August 1998 until September 1999, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters, United States Army, Europe and Seventh Army during a period of simultaneous operations in Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo. Returning to Fort Hood, Texas, General McKiernan commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from October 1999 through October 2001. He was then assigned as G-3, Headquarters, Department of the Army. In September 2002, General McKiernan assumed command of the Third U.S. Army and U.S. Army Forces Central Command (ARCENT), and became the
Coalition Forces Land Component Commander for COMCENT in preparation for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF).
In March 2003, General McKiernan commanded all coalition and U.S.
conventional ground forces that attacked into Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Following OIF 1, he was the Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff for United States Army Forces Command.
Prior to assuming his current command, General McKiernan served as Commander U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) from December 2006 to May 2008.
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