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U.S. Central Command Leadership

    General Joseph L. Votel

CENTCOM Commander

General Joseph L. Votel attended the United States Military Academy and was commissioned in 1980 as an Infantry Officer. His initial assignments were to the 3d Infantry Division in Germany where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Battalion Adjutant and Rifle Company Commander. Following this he served as a Small Group Tactics Instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia before being assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment as a Plans / Liaison Officer where he participated in Operation JUST CAUSE. He was next posted to the 1st Ranger Battalion where he served as the Battalion Liaison Officer, Operations Officer and Executive Officer.

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    Lieutenant General Charles Q. Brown Jr.

CENTCOM Deputy Commander

General Brown was commissioned in 1984 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tech University. He has served in a variety of positions at the squadron and wing level, including an assignment to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as an F-16 instructor. His notable staff tours include aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group; and Deputy Director, Operations, U.S. Central Command. He also served as a National Defense Fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Va.

General Brown has commanded a fighter squadron, the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and two fighter wings.  Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command.

The general is a command pilot with more than 2,900 flying hours, including 120 combat hours.


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    Major General Terry Ferrell

CENTCOM Chief of Staff

A native of Logan, West Virginia, Major General Terry Ferrell was commissioned in 1984 as an Armor Officer upon graduating from Marshall University.

His assignments include multiple joint and operational tours, staff assignments at numerous levels as well as several commands. Highlights include commanding 3d Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) based in Fort Stewart, Georgia and deployed in support of Operation JOINT FORGE and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He then commanded 2d Brigade, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) and deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Following Brigade Command, Major General Ferrell assumed duties as Chief of Staff, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Fort Stewart, Georgia. After his tour as Division Chief of Staff, he assumed duties as Assistant Division Commander (Support) and later Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 2d Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea. Following his return to the United States, Major General Ferrell served as Commanding General, National Training Center and Fort Irwin and then commanded Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), Djibouti, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Most recently, he served as the Commanding General, 7th Infantry Division in Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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    Command Sergeant Major William F. Thetford

Command Sergeant Major William F. Thetford entered the United States Army in 1981 and attended One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was trained as an Infantryman.

Upon completion of his initial training as an Infantryman, CSM Thetford was assigned to Company B, 2d Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington, where he served as a Rifleman, Fire Team Leader and Squad Leader. In 1986, CSM Thetford served with the Mountain Ranger Camp as a Mountaineering Instructor and Platoon Small Group Leader.

CSM Thetford assessed for a Special Mission Unit in 1990. He served as a Team Member, Team Sergeant, Troop Sergeant Major, Operations Sergeant Major, Operator Training Course Sergeant Major, Squadron Command Sergeant Major and Unit Command Sergeant Major. In September 2011, he became the Command Sergeant Major of the Joint Special Operations Command. He served in this position until October 2014 at which time he became the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL.  Currently he serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, FL.

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