Michael R. Lehnert
Michael R. Lehnert | |
|---|---|
 Michael R. Lehnert | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1973–2009 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit(2) |
Michael R. Lehnertis a retiredmajor generalof theUnited States Marine Corps. He supervised the construction and served as the first commandant of theGuantanamo Bay Detention Camp.
Lehnert graduated fromCentral Michigan Universityin 1973 with aBachelor of Artsdegree inhistoryand was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through thePlatoon Leader Courseprogram.
After completingThe Basic SchoolinQuantico,Virginia,he was transferred toCamp Lejeune,North Carolina.Assignments at Camp Lejeune included: engineer platoon commander and maintenance officer LSU-32 and S-4, H&S Battalion, 2nd FSSG. Assigned to9th Engineer Support BattalioninOkinawa,Japan,he served as Battalion Operations Officer and finished his tour as commander Company A, 9th Engineers.
In 1977, he was ordered to Marine Barracks,Subic Bay,Republic of the Philippinesas the Operations Officer. In 1978, he took command of Company A, Marine Barracks, Subic Bay.
In 1979, he attended the U.S. Army Advanced Engineer School atFort Belvoir,Virginia. After graduation, he served as Executive Officer,USMCRecruiting Station,San Antonio, Texas.
He was transferred toCamp Pendleton,Californiain 1983 and held the following assignments from 1983 to 1986: Company Commander, Company C, 1st Landing Support Battalion; Commanding Officer, Combat Service Support Detachment 11; Commanding Officer, Combat Service Support Detachment 16; Executive Officer, MAU Service Support Group 17; Landing Force Support Party Cdr, BSSG 7; and MEF Engineer, First Marine Amphibious Force.
In 1987, he was selected forArmed Forces Staff College.After graduation, he was assigned to the United States Southern Command in the J-3 Operations Directorate as Chief, Central American Exercise Branch. During thePanama crisis,he participated inOperation Just CauseandOperation Promote Liberty.
He was reassigned in 1990 as Inspector-Instructor, 6th Engineer Support Battalion,Portland, Oregon.He was selected for top level school, and completed theNaval War Collegein 1993 with the award of amaster's degree.
In 1993, he was assigned to theJoint Warfighting CenterinNorfolk, Virginiawhere he served as the Chief of the Futures Branch, Doctrine Division.
In 1995, he reported to the2nd Marine Aircraft Wingand participated inOperation Sea Signal,Guantanamo Bay,Cubaas Commander, Joint Task Group Bulkeley, JTF 160. Where he commanded the security forces responsible for operation of Cuban and Haitian migrant camps.
He commanded Marine Wing Support Group 27 atCherry Point,North Carolinafrom May 23, 1996, to May 28, 1998. He was reassigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 II MEF. In 1999, he deployed toPanamaas the Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Panama to oversee the final turnover of thePanama Canaland the remaining military bases.
His first tour as a general officer was atHeadquarters Marine Corps,where he served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.
He took command of2nd Force Service Support Group(FSSG) in July 2001 and in January 2002, he deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as Commander, Joint Task Force 160.[1][2][3] JTF 160's mission was to construct and operate the detention facilities for Taliban and Al Qaeda detainees. While in command of the detention facility, he endeavoured to ensure that the provisions of the Geneva Convention were applied, in the face of opposition from then defense secretaryDonald Rumsfeld,inviting the ICRC to visit and advise on conditions of detention, appointing a Muslim chaplain and creating an ethos of human decency.[4]In 2003, he deployed with the 2d FSSG to theCENTCOMtheater and participated inOperation Iraqi Freedomas Commander, Marine Logistics Command. He then served as Chief of Staff, United States Southern Command, Miami, Florida.
Lehnert's final Marine Corps assignment was as Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations West (MCI West), based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, where he had assumed command on October 21, 2005. Under Lehnert’s command, MCI West made vast developments to base infrastructure, Marine and family housing, training facilities and numerous other quality-of-life improvements for all installations in the western U.S.
Lehnert retired after 37 years of service after turning over command of MCI West to Maj. Gen. Anthony L. Jackson on September 29, 2009.[5]
Civilian Life
In 2020, Mike Lehnert joined other retired senior leaders like Retired Lt. Gen. Richard L. Kelly to speak out against the abuses of Donald Trump through Lehnert's affiliation with National Security Leaders for Biden.[6]
Awards
[edit]Decorations include:
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Notes
[edit]- ^ Karen J. Greenberg(2009-01-25)."When Gitmo Was (Relatively) Good".Washington Post.Retrieved2009-03-18.
- ^ Karen J. Greenberg(March 2009).The Least Worst Place: Guantanamo's First 100 Days.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-537188-8.Retrieved2009-03-18.
- ^ Karen J. Greenberg(2009-01-26)."Outlook: When Gitmo Was (Relatively) Good".Washington Post.Retrieved2009-03-18.
- ^Greenberg, Karen, 'Sunday Perspective: The untold lessons of Guantanamo's early days', Contra Costa Times, January 2, 2009,http:// contracostatimes /columns/ci_11600141,retrieved March 11, 2009.
- ^Gutierrez, Lance Cpl. Damien (2009-09-29)."MCI West welcomes new commander".Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.Retrieved2021-06-22.
- ^Lehnert, Michael R. (2020-10-30)."Trump's dangerous isolationism weakens USA and strengthens our adversaries: Opinion".TCPalm.Retrieved2021-06-22.
References
[edit]
This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theUnited States Marine Corps.
- "Major General Michael R. Lehnert, Commander, Marine Corps Installations West (Official Biography)".Biographies: General Officers and Senior Executives.Manpower & Reserve Affairs, United States Marine Corps. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-02-20.Retrieved2006-11-19.
