Robert L. Caslen
| Robert L. Caslen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
30 November 1953 Connecticut, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 |
| Service/ |
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| Years of service | 1975–2018 |
| Rank |
 |
| Commands held | Superintendent of the United States Military Academy |
| Awards |
Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (5) |
Robert Louis Caslen Jr. (born 30 November 1953) is a retired United States Army officer who served as the 59th superintendent of West Point from 17 July 2013 to 22 June 2018.[1][2] He previously served as the Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq (OSC-I). Before that, he served as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth. In December 2009, Caslen was nominated to be a lieutenant general in conjunction with his nomination to be Commandant of the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth which took effect in March 2010. In April 2018, officials at West Point indicated that Caslen was scheduled to retire in the summer of 2018, and that the selection of a new superintendent was pending.[3] The ceremonial relinquishing of command took place on June 22, 2018.[4]
Early life
Caslen was born in Connecticut,[5] and grew up in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont; in 1971 he graduated from North Country Union High School in Newport, Vermont.[6] He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975 and played center for the Army Black Knights football team. He also earned a master's degree in business administration from Long Island University and in 1989 he received a Master of Science degree in industrial engineering from Kansas State University.[7][8]
Military career
During Operation Desert Storm, Caslen served as executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).[7]
Caslen served as brigade operations officer, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); J-3 in Honduras for Joint Task Force Bravo in 1998; executive officer to the deputy commander in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994–1995; commander of the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division (Light); senior brigade C2 observer/controller, Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center; chief of staff of the 101st Airborne Division; and commander of the 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (1999).[7]
Caslen was at the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks where he was an assistant deputy director of strategic planning and policy. Following the attack, he re-entered the Pentagon, helping search for wounded and working on reversing the air conditioning system in order to remove smoke from the building.[7]
Caslen was also chief of staff of the 10th Mountain Division (Light) (2003) at Fort Drum; assistant division commander (Maneuver) of the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) (2004); deputy director for the War on Terrorism, J-5, the Joint Staff (2005 – June 2006); director of the Joint Staff's Detainee Affairs Division and commandant of cadets for the Military Academy at West Point, a post he left in May 2008.
Caslen was chief of staff for the Combined Joint Task Force 180 (CJTF-180) in Afghanistan from May through September 2002.[9] He was a commander of Operation Champion Sword.
According to a report by the Office of Inspector General, Caslen "violated the ethical guidelines of the military that forbid officers to promote private organizations" when he appeared in a video for an evangelical organization, Christian Embassy. Other generals that appeared in the video included Vincent K. Brooks and Air Force generals Peter U. Sutton and Jack J. Catton Jr.[10] At the time he was Commandant of Cadets at West Point. In a letter, he said he would be more vigilant about such improprieties going forward.[11]
From May 2008 to December 2009, Caslen served as commander of the 25th Infantry Division (United States). In October, he returned from a tour with the division in the Iraq War. Prior to this, he had served two tours in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) and one tour in the Gulf War.[12]
In July 2011, Caslen was nominated to be chief of Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq.[13]
Caslen was appointed to be Superintendent of the United States Military Academy on 17 July 2013. Army spokesmen announced in April 2018 that Caslen would retire later in the year, and that the announcement of his successor as superintendent was pending.[14] In July, the Army announced Lieutenant General Darryl A. Williams as Caslen's successor.[15]
Awards and decorations
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References
- ↑ "General Officer Announcements". News Release. US Department of Defense. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Office of the Superintendent". Bio. US Military Academy. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
- ↑ "USMA superintendent to retire". Mid-Hudson News. Middletown, NY. April 19, 2018.
- ↑ Nash, Noah (21 June 2018). "After 43 years in the Army, West Point's beloved Supe Daddy retires".
- ↑ West Point Alumni Foundation, inc; United States Military Academy. Association of Graduates (1991). Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy. Association of Graduates, USMA. ISSN 0090-2357. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ↑ "National Football Foundation Vermont Chapter Honors Finest From 2013 Football Season". National Football Foundation. Irving, TX. 29 April 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "News - Commander of Army Combined Arms Center: Who is Robert Caslen, Jr.?". AllGov. 11 September 2001. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ↑ "College of Engineering Hall of Fame gained two new members". KansasStateUniversity. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ↑ "Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library : Item Viewer". Cgsc.cdmhost.com. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ↑ "Report Says Pentagon Erred In Allowing Christian Video - Church and State - September 2007". Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ↑ "Officers' Roles in Christian Video Are Called Ethics Breach". Washington Post. 4 August 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ↑ "Caslen tapped to command Fort Leavenworth - Army Times - December 7, 2009". armytimes.com. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ↑ King, Will (5 March 2010). "Combined Arms Center welcomes new commander". Fort Leavenworth Lamp. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- ↑ "USMA superintendent to retire".
- ↑ "West Point gets 1st black superintendent in 216-year history". Army Times. Springfield, VA. Associated Press. July 1, 2018.
External links
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| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William B. Caldwell |
Commandant of the United States Army Command and General Staff College 2010–2011 |
Succeeded by David G. Perkins |
| Preceded by David H. Huntoon |
Superintendent of the United States Military Academy 2013–2018 |
Succeeded by Darryl A. Williams |