Martin Dempsey

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Martin E. Dempsey
1952 -

Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1974–present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment 1st Armored Division Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal (2) with Combat V

Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey, USA, is the acting commander of United States Central Command as of March 28, 2008. Gen. Dempsey was nominated for promotion to the rank of four-star General February 5, 2008. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 13, 2008. He was formerly the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq commander, the coalition command responsible for recruiting, training, and equipping the Iraqi Security Forces. MNSTC-I is the parent heaquarters of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), the Coalition Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT), and the Coalition Air Force Training Team (CAFTT). Dempsey succeeded General David H. Petraeus who departed MNSTC-I to command the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth and who is now the commander of the Multinational Force Iraq.

Dempsey was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1974. He served as the Executive Officer of the 4th Bn 67th Armor (Bandits) in Friedberg Germany. He went on to be the Executive Officer of the 3rd Brigade 3rd Armored Division during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment as a Colonel.

In June 2003, then Brigadier General Dempsey assumed command of 1st Armored Division. He succeeded Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sanchez who was promoted to command V Corps. Dempsey commanded 1st Armored Division until July 2005 including 13 months in Iraq from June 2003 to July 2004. While in Iraq, 1st Armored Division, in addition to its own brigades, had operational command over the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division; the command, called "Task Force Iron" in recognition of the Division's nickname, "Old Ironsides", was the largest division-level command in the history of the United States Army.

It was during this time that the American intervention in Iraq changed dramatically as Fallujah fell to Sunni extremists and supporters of Muqtada Sadr built their strength and rose up against American forces. Then Major General Dempsey and his command assumed responsibility for the Area of Operations in Baghdad as the insurgency incubated, grew, and exploded. General Dempsey has been described by Thomas Ricks in his book "Fiasco": "In the capital itself, the 1st Armored Division, after Sanchez assumed control of V Corps, was led by Gen. Martin Dempsey, was generally seen as handling a difficult (and inherited) job well, under the global spotlight of Baghdad."

On March 27, 2007 Lt. General Martin Dempsey was promoted from commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, to be reappointed as a lieutenant general and assigned as deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

On February 5, 2008, Dempsey was nominated to head the Seventh United States Army/U.S. Army, Europe and was nominated for promotion to four-star general upon Senate approval.

On March 11, 2008, Dempsey's Commander Admiral William J. Fallon requested his resignation and retiring from active service. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates accepted this as effective on March 31. Dempsey is to take over command as acting commander CENTCOM.

On March 13, 2008, LTG Demsey was confirmed by the Senate as Commander, Seventh United States Army/U.S. Army, Europe and Acting Commander, U.S. Central Command [1].

1 Source of Commissioned Service
2 Military Schools Attended
3 Educational Degrees
4 Promotions
5 Major Decorations and Badges
6 External links

[edit] Source of Commissioned Service

United States Military Academy

[edit] Military Schools Attended

Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses
United States Army Command and General Staff College
National War College

[edit] Educational Degrees

United States Military Academy – BS – No Major
Duke University – MA – English
United States Army Command and General Staff College – MMAS – Military Arts and Sciences
National Defense University – MS – National Security and Strategic Studies

[edit] Promotions

2LT - 5 Jun 74
1LT - 5 Jun 76
CPT - 8 Aug 78
MAJ - 1 Sep 85
LTC - 1 Apr 91
COL - 1 Sep 95
BG - 1 Aug 01
MG - 1 Sep 04
LTG - 8 Sep 05

[edit] Major Decorations and Badges

	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
	Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
	Bronze Star (with Oak Leaf Cluster and Combat Valor Device)
	Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Army Commendation Medal
	Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
	National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
	Iraq Campaign Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal