Brigadier General Julian D. Alford
Vice Chief of Naval Research and Commander, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab
Brig. Gen. Julian D. Alford assumed the duties vice chief of naval research and commanding officer, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Futures Directorate, Combat Development and Integration in June 2015. In his previous role, he served as assistant division commander of 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Alford attended West Georgia College and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves as a sophomore in 1985. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1987. As a lieutenant, Alford's commands included: commander, Rifle Platoon, 3d Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division during Operation Just Cause in the Republic of Panama and 81's Platoon Commander during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm; and commander, Light Armored Infantry Detachment, 2d Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).
As a captain, his commands included: series commander, company commander, 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island; and company commander, 3d Battalion, 8th Marines, 2d Marine Division during Operation Assured Response in the U.S. Embassy, Monrovia, Liberia. As a major, Alford commanded Recruiting Station, Nashville, Tennessee, and as a lieutenant colonel, he led 3d Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division during Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan and during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon promotion to colonel, he commanded The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia.
Alford's staff assignments include, as captain, operations officer for 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island; as major, operations officer for 3d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, and executive officer for 2d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and as lieutenant colonel, operations officer for 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, Faculty Advisor at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
As a colonel, he served as joint operations analysis officer at the Institute for Defense Analyses, during which time he deployed to Afghanistan and served as the director of Strategic Effects at International Security Assistance Force headquarters in Kabul; military fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, New York; and branch head for Current and Future Operation, Plans Policies and Operations at Marine Corps headquarters.
As a brigadier general, Alford has served as the chief of staff for U.S. Central Command, Joint Force Land Component Command, Kuwait.
He has attended The Basic School, the Infantry Officers' Course, the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Marine Corps War College.