General Lloyd J. Austin III
Commanding General
United States Forces – Iraq
General Lloyd J. Austin Ill, who hails from Thomasville, Georgia, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry in June 1975 from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
His previous assignments include Rifle and Scout Platoon Leader, 3d Infantry Division, U.S Army Europe and Seventh Army; Company Commander, 2d Battalion, 508th infantry, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Company Commander, U.S Army Recruiting Battalion, Indianapolis, Indiana; Company Tactical Officer, United States Military Academy and Executive Officer, 1 infantry Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, New York from June 1991 until October 1992.
General Austin has served in several command and staff assignments throughout his 35-year career.
At Fort Bragg, he served as Commander, 2d Battalion, 505th Parachute infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division and OPERATION SAFE HAVEN, Panama; G-3 for the 82d Airborne Division; and Commander, 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division from June 1997 to June 1999. 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.
Other command assignments include Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq from July 2001 until June 2003; Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, New York from September 2003 until August 2005; with duty as Commander, Combined Joint Task Force-ISO, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan. He served as the Chief of Staff, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida from September 2005 until October 2006.
He assumed duties as the Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg in December 2006, and deployed to Iraq as Commander, Multi-National Corps - Iraq from January 2008 until April 2009. General Austin served as the Director, Joint Staff at the Pentagon from August 2009 to August 2010.
General Austin assumed command of United States Forces - Iraq on 1 September 2010.
His military education includes the infantry Officer Advanced Course, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Military Academy, a Master's Degree in Education from Auburn University, and a Master's Degree in Business Management from Webster University.
General Austin's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with Four Oak Leaf Clusters), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (with Six Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Combat Action Badge, Expert infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge.
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