Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. | |
|---|---|
 McKenzie in 2019 | |
| Nickname(s) | Frank |
| Born | 1956 or 1957 (age 67–68)[1] Birmingham, Alabama,U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1979–2022 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, 6th Marines |
| Commands | United States Central Command 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit 1st Battalion, 6th Marines |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal(3) Legion of Merit(3) Bronze Star Medal |
Kenneth Franklin McKenzie Jr.[2](born 1956 or 1957) is a retiredUnited States Marine Corpsgeneralwho served as the 14th commander of theUnited States Central Commandfrom March 28, 2019 to April 1, 2022.[3][4]He served asDirector of the Joint Stafffrom July 5, 2017 after having previously served for two years as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5) on theJoint Staff.[5]
In May 2022, he became the Executive Director of the Global and National Security Institute,University of South Florida,and in July 2022 he was appointed Executive Director for the Florida Center for Cybersecurity. He also serves as the President, Board of Directors, of the Institute for Applied Engineering, University of South Florida.[6]
Early life and education
[edit]A native ofBirmingham, Alabama,McKenzie wascommissionedin 1979 via theNaval Reserve Officers Training CorpsatThe Citadel.McKenzie holds a master's degree in history from theNational Defense Universityand has served as a Senior Military Fellow at the school's Institute for National Strategic Studies. He is an Honors Graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and theSchool of Advanced Warfighting.[7]
Military career
[edit]As an infantry officer McKenzie's assignments have included command of the1st Battalion, 6th Marines,and of the22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit,which he led on deployments to bothIraqandAfghanistan.[8]He also served as Military Secretary to twoCommandants of the Marine Corps.
McKenzie's general officer posts have included Deputy Director of Operations for theNational Military Command Centerinthe Pentagon.In 2008 he was selected by theChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffto serve as director of his new administrationtransition team,overseeing the transition of military forces under incoming PresidentBarack Obama.He returned to Afghanistan serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Stability under theInternational Security Assistance Force,[9]followed by a tour as Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy atUnited States Central Command.He then returned to the Pentagon to serve as the Marine Corps Representative to theQuadrennial Defense Reviewand, after receiving his third star, was appointed Commanding General ofUnited States Marine Forces Central Command.[10]
As CENTCOM commander, McKenzie oversaw the successful high-profilespecial forces raidinSyriato kill or capture then-Islamic StateleaderAbu Bakr al-Baghdadiin October 2019,[11]and the 2020–2021 withdrawals and reductions of U.S. troopsfrom Iraq.[12]
During the2020–2021 Afghanistan withdrawal,McKenzie replaced GeneralAustin "Scott" Milleras leader of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan upon the latter's resignation on July 12, 2021, with Miller's departure perceived by some as "the symbolic end of the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan."[13]One month later, McKenzie was responsible for theAugust 2021 Kabul drone strikewhich targeted and killed civilians, 7 children and 3 adults.[14]
McKenzie retired from active duty on 1 April 2022, after relinquishing command of CENTCOM to GeneralMichael Kurilla.[15][4][16]
Awards and decorations
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| 1st row | Defense Distinguished Service Medal | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medalwith two bronzeoak leaf clusters | Legion of Meritwith two goldaward stars | Bronze Star Medal | ||||||||
| 3rd row | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medalwith two award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Combat Action Ribbon | ||||||||
| 4th row | Joint Meritorious Unit Awardwith one oak leaf cluster | Navy Unit Commendation | National Defense Service Medalwith one bronzeservice star | Kosovo Campaign Medalwith service star | ||||||||
| 5th row | Afghanistan Campaign Medalwith two service stars | Iraq Campaign Medalwith service star | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Korea Defense Service Medal | ||||||||
| 6th row | Humanitarian Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbonwith four service stars | Navy Arctic Service Ribbon | NATO Medalfor Kosovo with service star | ||||||||
| Badge | Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | |||||||||||
| Badge | United States Central CommandBadge | |||||||||||
- General McKenzie earned several awards of the Rifle Expert Badge as well as the Pistol Sharpshooter Badge.
Effective dates of promotion
[edit] | This section of abiography of a living persondoes notincludeanyreferences or sources.(February 2022) |
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|---|---|
 |
Second Lieutenant | June 8, 1979 |
 |
First Lieutenant | June 1, 1981 |
 |
Captain | February 1, 1985 |
 |
Major | Sept 1, 1989 |
 |
Lieutenant Colonel | Oct 5, 1995 |
 |
Colonel | Oct 8, 2001 |
 |
Brigadier General | July 1, 2007 |
 |
Major General | March 5, 2011 |
 |
Lieutenant General | June 3, 2014 |
 |
General | March 15, 2019 |
References
[edit]- ^"Meet CentCom's new Boss: Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr. Takes command".
- ^"Citadel Announces Graduation Speakers for the Class of 2019".The Citadel. March 15, 2019.RetrievedMarch 29,2019.
- ^Copp, Tara (August 21, 2018)."New CENTCOM, SOCOM leadership named".Military Times.RetrievedMarch 28,2019.
- ^ab"Webcast: CENTCOM Welcomes New Commander".DVIDS.April 1, 2022.
- ^"Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. > Joint Chiefs of Staff > Article View".jcs.mil.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-01-04.Retrieved2017-09-14.
- ^"Leadership".
- ^"U.S.-Turkey Business Council".Archived fromthe originalon 2019-02-19.Retrieved2019-03-26.
- ^"McKenzie relinquishes 22nd MEU".
- ^"Three Citadel grads now on the front lines in Afghanistan – The Citadel – Charleston, SC".citadel.edu.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-09-03.Retrieved2017-09-14.
- ^"Marcent gets new commander in MacDill ceremony".18 June 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 8 July 2018.Retrieved14 September2017.
- ^"Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: US releases first images of raid on compound".BBC News.31 October 2019.
- ^Mashal, Mujib (19 June 2020)."U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Reduced to 8,600, General Says".The New York Times.Retrieved19 June2020.
- ^"Commander of U.S., NATO forces in Afghanistan steps down".NBC News.
- ^"General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. Commander of U.S. Central Command and Pentagon Press Secre".
- ^"EXECUTIVE AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS; Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 41 (Senate - March 08, 2022)".U.S. Congress.March 8, 2022.
- ^"General Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr".defense.gov.Retrieved2023-01-19.
External links
[edit]
- 1950s births
- Living people
- United States Marine Corps generals
- United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War
- United States Marine Corps personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- Military personnel from Birmingham, Alabama
- The Citadel alumni
- Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
- Members of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America