Lt gen waldhauser biography of barack obama

President Barack Obama has nominated Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser for promotion to four-star rank to replace retiring Army Gen. David Rodriguez as head of U.S. Africa Command in the ongoing effort to halt the spread of ISIS on the continent, the Pentagon said Thursday.

If confirmed by the Senate to lead the command, Waldhauser would become the only Marine to head one of the combatant commands. In a statement, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called Waldhauser, 62, of St. Paul, Minnesota, the "perfect pick for this dynamic command."

Waldhauser, currently the director for Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, was commissioned in 1976. He served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991 and, as commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, led Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq. As a Major General, Waldhauser was commander the 1st Marine division.

Waldhauser would replace the highly-regarded Rodriguez, 61, who also was commissioned in 1976 and has spent more time in combat zones from Panama and Desert Storm through Iraq and Afghanistan than almost any other officer on active duty.

In his career, Rodriguez has commanded the International Security Assistance Force -- Joint Command in Afghanistan; the 82nd Airborne Division; the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division; and the 101st airborne division. He also has commanded companies of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and 1st Armored Division.

In his statement, Carter said that Waldhauser led "some of our first troops into Afghanistan after Sept. 11, and in his most recent service in the Pentagon as director for Joint Force Development, Lt. Gen. Waldhauser has demonstrated strong military leadership, excellent political-military experience, and superb management skills."

As head of Africa Command, Waldhauser will be challenged in "building partner capacity, enabling regional forces and combating the metastasis of ISIL and ot

The United States Senate has confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, U.S. Marine Corps, to head U.S. Africa Command. The Senate heard testimony from Waldhauser during a June 21 confirmation hearing.

Waldhauser is a 1976 Bemidji State University psychology graduate and former Beaver Hockey player.

U.S. Africa Command is one of six unified geographic combatant commands within the Department of Defense unified command structure. It is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for military relations with African nations, the African Union and African regional security organizations. U.S. Africa Command includes Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa; Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines operations in Africa; and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa. U.S. Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez has been in command of U.S. Africa Command since April 2013.

In addition to becoming the only Marine to currently hold one of the U.S. military’s top combatant command posts, Waldhauser’s confirmation as head of U.S. Africa Command will come with a fourth star. He will become just the 50th Marine to be promoted to four-star general since the Marine Corps was founded in 1775.

Waldhauser, a South St. Paul, Minn. native, is currently Director for Joint Force Development, J-7, with the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C.

He was the 2013 recipient of Bemidji State’s Distinguished Minnesotan award, which acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States.

As that year’s Distinguished Minnesotan, Waldhauser delivered the commencement address at BSU’s 94th Commencement ceremony in May 2013.

BSU President Dr. Richard A. Hanson said the university’s students were fortunate to have the opportunity to hear from Waldhauser at commencement.

“Tom is the epitome of a distinguished Minnesota

On April 7, the Wall Street Journal reported President Obama’s intention to nominate Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, U.S. Marine Corps, to head U.S. Africa Command. Waldhauser is a 1976 Bemidji State University psychology graduate and former Beaver Hockey player.

U.S. Africa Command is one of six unified geographic combatant commands within the Department of Defense unified command structure. It is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for military relations with African nations, the African Union and African regional security organizations. U.S. Africa Command includes Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa; Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines operations in Africa; and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa. U.S. Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez has been in command of U.S. Africa Command since April 2013.

Waldhauser, a South St. Paul, Minn. native, is currently Director for Joint Force Development, J-7, with the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. The J-7 is responsible for the six functions of joint force development: doctrine, education, concept development and experimentation, training, exercises and lessons learned. The J7 supports the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the joint warfighter to improve operational effectiveness of the current and future joint force.

According to officials quoted in the Journal, Waldhauser’s nomination could come “within weeks.” The nomination would require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. If confirmed, the Journal reports that Waldhauser would be the only Marine officer in one of the U.S. military’s top combatant command posts.

Waldhauser was the 2013 recipient of Bemidji State’s Distinguished Minnesotan award, which acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States.

As that year’s Distinguished Minnesotan, Waldhauser delivered t