Paul LaCamera

Paul LaCamera
Paul LaCamera
	Official portrait, 2021
Born	4 September 1963(age 60); Westwood, Massachusetts,U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1985–present
Rank	General
Commands held	United Nations Command; ROK/US Combined Forces Command; United States Forces Korea; United States Army Pacific; Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve; XVIII Airborne Corps; 4th Infantry Division; 75th Ranger Regiment; 3rd Ranger Battalion; 1st Battalion,87th Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	Invasion of Panama; Operation Uphold Democracy; War in Afghanistan; Iraq War; Operation Inherent Resolve
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Army Distinguished Service Medal(4); Silver Star; Defense Superior Service Medal(4); Legion of Merit(2); Bronze Star Medal(6)
	Paul LaCamera's voice LaCamera's opening statement at aSenate Armed Services Committeehearing on the 2022 USINDOPACOM posture; Recorded 10 March 2022

Paul Joseph LaCamera^[1](born 4 September 1963)^[2]is aUnited States Army four-star generalandinfantry officerwho serves as commander of theUnited Nations Command,ROK/US Combined Forces CommandandUnited States Forces Koreasince 2 July 2021.^[3]LaCamera most recently served as commanding general ofUnited States Army Pacificfrom 18 November 2019 to 3 June 2021.^[4]He previously served as the commanding general ofXVIII Airborne Corps.His other assignments include the commander ofCombined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolveand as the commanding general of the4th Infantry Division.^[5]He was nominated to replace GeneralRobert Abramsas the next commander ofUnited Nations Command,R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command,andU.S. Forces Korea,on 2 December 2020,^[6]^[7]however his nomination was returned to the president on 3 January 2021, without action.^[6]He was renominated on 27 April 2021.^[8]

Military career

LaCamera was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from theUnited States Military Academyin 1985.^[9]He served as rifle platoon leader with C Company, 3d Battalion (Airborne), 504th Infantry,82nd Airborne Division.Later he served as Company commander, 4th Ranger Training Battalion, Ranger Training Brigade, Operations Officer, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 2d Infantry Division and Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. From February 2001 to May 2003, he commanded the 1st Battalion,87th Infantry Regiment,10th Mountain Division (Light), which deployed as part ofOperation Anacondato Afghanistan during which he was awarded theSilver Star.^[10]LaCamera then took command of the3d Battalion,75th Ranger Regimentat Fort Benning, Georgia from June 2003 to May 2004. Lacamera graduated from College of Naval Warfare,Naval War Collegelocated at Newport, Rhode Island in June 2005 before taking command of the75th Ranger Regimentfrom August 2005 to August 2007. Following this command, he became the Director of Operations,Joint Special Operations Commandfrom 2007 to 2009. In 2009, he became the Assistant Commanding General,Joint Special Operations Command.From 2010 to 2012, LaCamera served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations),25th Infantry Division.^[11]He later served as commanding general XVIII Airborne Corps and commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.^[12]

Family and personal life

LaCamera is a native ofWestwood, Massachusetts. LaCamera's sister Trese is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who was the wife of Major GeneralJeffrey L. Bannister.^[13]^[14]

Training and education

LaCamera earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from theUnited States Army War College.His military education includes theInfantry Officer Basicand Advanced Courses, theArmy Command and General Staff College,theArmy War College,theNaval War College,and the Senior Service College Fellowship Course.^[5]

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badgewith Star (denoting 2nd award)^[5]

Expert Infantryman Badge

Ranger tab

Master Combat Parachutist Badgewith one bronzejump star

Pathfinder Badge

United Nations CommandBadge

Royal Thai Army Parachutist Badge^[15]

75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge

75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

18Overseas Service Bars^[16]

Defense Distinguished Service Medal^[17]

Army Distinguished Service Medalwith three bronzeoak leaf clusters^[18]

Silver Star

Defense Superior Service Medalwith three oak leaf clusters

Legion of Meritwith oak leaf cluster

Bronze Star Medalwith silver oak leaf cluster

Meritorious Service Medalwith silver oak leaf cluster

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Army Commendation Medalwith four oak leaf clusters

Army Achievement Medalwith oak leaf cluster

Joint Meritorious Unit Awardwith two oak leaf clusters

Valorous Unit Award

Meritorious Unit Commendationwith oak leaf cluster

National Defense Service Medalwith one bronzeservice star

Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalwithArrowhead deviceand service star

Afghanistan Campaign Medalwith five campaign stars

Iraq Campaign Medalwith five campaign stars

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medalwith two campaign stars

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalwithArrowhead device

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Korea Defense Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

Army Service Ribbon

Army Overseas Service Ribbonwith bronzeaward numeral7

NATO Medalfor service withISAF

References

^"Paul Joseph LaCamera".West Point Association of Graduates.Archivedfrom the original on 4 May 2018.Retrieved4 May2018.
^"Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy".1986.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-02.Retrieved2021-01-08.
^Oh Seok-min; Choi Soo-hyang (2021-07-02)."Gen. LaCamera takes office as new U.S. Forces Korea chief".Yonhap News Agency.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-11.Retrieved2021-07-02.
^"Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman".Association of the U.S. Army.9 April 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 8 May 2019.Retrieved10 April2019.
^^a ^b ^c"LaCamera takes command".Dvidshub.net.Archivedfrom the original on 10 September 2014.Retrieved3 June2013.
^^a ^b"PN2392 – Gen. Paul J. LaCamera – Army, 116th Congress (2019–2020)".congress.gov.2020-12-02.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-01-24.Retrieved2020-12-03.
^Park, Yong-Han; Kyu-Seok, Shim (2020-12-04)."Washington names LaCamera to head USFK".Korea JoongAng Daily(In association withThe New York Times).Archivedfrom the original on 2020-12-03.Retrieved2020-12-04.
^"PN461 — Gen. Paul J. LaCamera — Army, 117th Congress (2021–2022)".congress.gov.2021-04-27.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-04-29.Retrieved2021-04-29.
^"Major General Paul J. LaCamera".U.S. Army Fort Bragg. Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2016.Retrieved9 September2016.
^"Paul J. LaCamera".valor.militarytimes.Retrieved8 September2023.
^"4th Infantry Division – CDR".Carson.army.mil. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2013.Retrieved3 June2013.
^"Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman".Association of the United States Army.2019-04-09.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-05-08.Retrieved2019-08-11.
^"Obituary, Maj Gen Jeffrey Bannister".Cunningham Turch Funeral Home.Alexandria, VA. June 4, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on January 26, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 26,2022.
^"Statement of General Paul J. LaCamera, Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea"(PDF).armed-services.senate.gov.Washington, DC: U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. May 28, 2021. p. 9.Archived(PDF)from the original on January 20, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 26,2022.
^"Thailand Army Master Parachute Wings Parachute jump wings or badge".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-09.Retrieved2021-07-03.
^"5B2A0273".7 July 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2023.Retrieved21 September2020.
^"Log into Facebook".Facebook.{{cite web}}:Cite uses generic title (help)
^"WEBCAST: U.S. ARMY PACIFIC CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY".dvidshub.net.2021-06-04.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-06-02.Retrieved2021-06-02.

Military offices
Preceded by James C. Nixon	Commander,75th Ranger Regiment 2005–2007	Succeeded by Richard D. Clarke
Preceded by Joseph Anderson	Commander,4th Infantry Division 2013–2015	Succeeded by Ryan F. Gonsalves
Preceded by John Michael Bednarek	Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq 2015–2016	Succeeded by Scott McKean
Preceded by Stephen J. Townsend	Commander,XVIII Airborne Corps 2018–2019	Succeeded by Michael Kurilla
Preceded by Paul E. Funk II	Commanding General,Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve 2018–2019	Succeeded by Robert P. White
Preceded by Robert Brooks Brown	Commanding General,United States Army Pacific 2019–2021	Succeeded by Charles A. Flynn
Preceded by Robert B. Abrams	Commander ofUnited Nations Command Commander ofUnited States Forces Korea Commander ofROK/US Combined Forces Command 2021–present	Incumbent

[1] "Paul Joseph LaCamera".West Point Association of Graduates.Archivedfrom the original on 4 May 2018.Retrieved4 May2018.

[2] "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy".1986.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-02.Retrieved2021-01-08.

[3] Oh Seok-min; Choi Soo-hyang (2021-07-02)."Gen. LaCamera takes office as new U.S. Forces Korea chief".Yonhap News Agency.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-11.Retrieved2021-07-02.

[4] "Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman".Association of the U.S. Army.9 April 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 8 May 2019.Retrieved10 April2019.

[4thIDbio-5] "LaCamera takes command".Dvidshub.net.Archivedfrom the original on 10 September 2014.Retrieved3 June2013.

[:0-6] "PN2392 – Gen. Paul J. LaCamera – Army, 116th Congress (2019–2020)".congress.gov.2020-12-02.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-01-24.Retrieved2020-12-03.

[7] Park, Yong-Han; Kyu-Seok, Shim (2020-12-04)."Washington names LaCamera to head USFK".Korea JoongAng Daily(In association withThe New York Times).Archivedfrom the original on 2020-12-03.Retrieved2020-12-04.

[8] "PN461 — Gen. Paul J. LaCamera — Army, 117th Congress (2021–2022)".congress.gov.2021-04-27.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-04-29.Retrieved2021-04-29.

[9] "Major General Paul J. LaCamera".U.S. Army Fort Bragg. Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2016.Retrieved9 September2016.

[10] "Paul J. LaCamera".valor.militarytimes.Retrieved8 September2023.

[11] "4th Infantry Division – CDR".Carson.army.mil. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2013.Retrieved3 June2013.

[12] "Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman".Association of the United States Army.2019-04-09.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-05-08.Retrieved2019-08-11.

[Obituary-13] "Obituary, Maj Gen Jeffrey Bannister".Cunningham Turch Funeral Home.Alexandria, VA. June 4, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on January 26, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 26,2022.

[14] "Statement of General Paul J. LaCamera, Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea"(PDF).armed-services.senate.gov.Washington, DC: U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. May 28, 2021. p. 9.Archived(PDF)from the original on January 20, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 26,2022.

[15] "Thailand Army Master Parachute Wings Parachute jump wings or badge".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-09.Retrieved2021-07-03.

[16] "5B2A0273".7 July 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2023.Retrieved21 September2020.

[17] "Log into Facebook".Facebook.{{cite web}}:Cite uses generic title (help)

[18] "WEBCAST: U.S. ARMY PACIFIC CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY".dvidshub.net.2021-06-04.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-06-02.Retrieved2021-06-02.

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