John W. Nicholson Jr.

John W. Nicholson Jr.
General John W. Nicholson,
Born (1957-05-08) May 8, 1957
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Army
Years of service 1982–2018
Rank General
Commands held Resolute Support Mission / U.S. Forces Afghanistan
Allied Land Command
82nd Airborne Division
1st Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (5)
Legion of Merit (3)

John William Nicholson Jr. (born May 8, 1957) was a United States Army four-star general who last commanded U.S. Forces - Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and the Resolute Support Mission from March 30, 2016 to September 2, 2018, succeeding General John F. Campbell.[1] He was the longest-serving commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, having been the senior officer in theatre for more than 2 years, 5 months.[2] He was previously commanding general, Allied Land Command from October 2014[3] and commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. Nicholson is the son of John W. Nicholson, also a former general officer in the United States Army, distantly related to British Brigadier John Nicholson (1822–1857).[4]

Career

Nicholson greets U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Kabul, 12 July 2016
Nicholson speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2018

John W. Nicholson Jr. graduated from West Point in 1982 and was commissioned into the infantry.[5] He earned a Bronze Star with "V" device as a paratroop lieutenant during the invasion of Grenada in 1983.

He was a strategist for Eric Shinseki at the point of the 9/11 attacks.[6] He went on to do six tours in Afghanistan.

Nicholson was the deputy director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.[7] He became commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in 2012. In 2014 Nicholson took control of Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey.[8]

Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2016 that "Since 9/11, the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan has largely defined my service."[9][10] Nicholson was given command of the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, amid a worsening security situation.[11][12][13][14]

Nicholson apologized in person for U.S. involvement in the Kunduz hospital airstrike.[15][16]

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge (Second Award)
Ranger tab
Master Parachutist Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
82nd Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge
75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
French Parachutist Badge
German Parachutist badge in bronze
11 Overseas Service Bars
 Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star with "V" Device and oak leaf cluster (one award for Valor)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
 Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
 Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Bronze star
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four service stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
NATO Medal for former Yugoslavia with two service stars

References

  1. ↑ "US General: Taliban Won't Capture a City by Winter". Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  2. ↑ ""We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us". An Analysis of NATO Strategic Communications: The International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, 2003-2014. | StratCom". www.stratcomcoe.org. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
  3. ↑ SHAPE Public Affairs Office. "Change of Command at NATO's Allied Land Command". Allied Command Operations. NATO. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Carlotta Gall (8 April 2014). The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan, 2001–2014. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-544-04568-2.
  5. ↑ Carroll, Ward. "New Commander for 82nd Airborne".
  6. ↑ "Meet the next commander in Afghanistan, who has deeper experience there than almost any U.S. general".
  7. ↑ MMillham. "Major General John W. Nicholson Jr. - Resolute Support Mission".
  8. ↑ "All Americans change command".
  9. ↑ "Army's Nicholson: Career 'largely defined' by Afghanistan".
  10. ↑ "Lieutenant General John Nicholson Confirmation Hearing".
  11. ↑ "Top US Commander in Afghanistan to Face Lawmakers".
  12. ↑ "New U.S. General Takes Command of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan". The New York Times. 3 March 2016.
  13. ↑ http://www.washingtontimes.com, The Washington Times. "Gen. John 'Mick' Nicholson takes command of U.S.-NATO forces in Afghanistan".
  14. ↑ "Nicholson Nominated as Next Afghan War Head".
  15. ↑ "US General Apologizes in Person for Bombing MSF Hospital in Afghanistan - VICE News".
  16. ↑ Kunduz, Reuters in (22 March 2016). "US and Nato commander apologizes for Médecins Sans Frontières bombing".
  • Media related to John W. Nicholson, Jr. at Wikimedia Commons
  • Official "NATO Resolute Support". site
  • "Official Military Biography". General John W. Nicholson, Jr.
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