Paul LaCamera
Official portrait, 2021
Born (1963-09-04) 4 September 1963 (age 60)
Westwood, Massachusetts, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1985–present
RankGeneral
Commands heldUnited Nations Command
ROK/US Combined Forces Command
United States Forces Korea
United States Army Pacific
Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
XVIII Airborne Corps
4th Infantry Division
75th Ranger Regiment
3rd Ranger Battalion
1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsInvasion of Panama
Operation Uphold Democracy
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Operation Inherent Resolve
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (4)
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (6)
Paul LaCamera's voice
LaCamera's opening statement at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2022 USINDOPACOM posture
Recorded 10 March 2022

Paul Joseph LaCamera[1] (born 4 September 1963)[2] is a United States Army four-star general and infantry officer who serves as commander of the United Nations Command, ROK/US Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea since 2 July 2021.[3] LaCamera most recently served as commanding general of United States Army Pacific from 18 November 2019 to 3 June 2021.[4] He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps. His other assignments include the commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve and as the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division.[5] He was nominated to replace General Robert Abrams as the next commander of United Nations Command, R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, on 2 December 2020,[6][7] however his nomination was returned to the president on 3 January 2021, without action.[6] He was renominated on 27 April 2021.[8]

Military career

General Paul J. LaCamera receives the United Nations Command colors from Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, during the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea change of command ceremony on 2 July 2021 at Barker Field.

LaCamera was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1985.[9] He served as rifle platoon leader with C Company, 3d Battalion (Airborne), 504th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. Later he served as Company commander, 4th Ranger Training Battalion, Ranger Training Brigade, Operations Officer, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 2d Infantry Division and Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. From February 2001 to May 2003, he commanded the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light), which deployed as part of Operation Anaconda to Afghanistan during which he was awarded the Silver Star.[10] LaCamera then took command of the 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia from June 2003 to May 2004. Lacamera graduated from College of Naval Warfare, Naval War College located at Newport, Rhode Island in June 2005 before taking command of the 75th Ranger Regiment from August 2005 to August 2007. Following this command, he became the Director of Operations, Joint Special Operations Command from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, he became the Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command. From 2010 to 2012, LaCamera served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations), 25th Infantry Division.[11] He later served as commanding general XVIII Airborne Corps and commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.[12]

Family and personal life

LaCamera is a native of Westwood, Massachusetts. LaCamera's sister Trese is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who was the wife of Major General Jeffrey L. Bannister.[13][14]

Training and education

LaCamera earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Army War College, the Naval War College, and the Senior Service College Fellowship Course.[5]

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)[5]
Expert Infantryman Badge
Ranger tab
Master Combat Parachutist Badge with one bronze jump star
Pathfinder Badge
United Nations Command Badge
Royal Thai Army Parachutist Badge[15]
75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge
75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
18 Overseas Service Bars[16]
Defense Distinguished Service Medal[17]
Army Distinguished Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters[18]
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.
Bronze Star Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Valorous Unit Award
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Commendation with oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device and service star
Silver star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with five campaign stars
Silver star
Iraq Campaign Medal with five campaign stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
Arrowhead
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 7
NATO Medal for service with ISAF

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul LaCamera.
  1. ^ "Paul Joseph LaCamera". West Point Association of Graduates. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy". 1986. Archived from the original on 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  3. ^ Oh Seok-min; Choi Soo-hyang (2021-07-02). "Gen. LaCamera takes office as new U.S. Forces Korea chief". Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on 2021-07-11. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  4. ^ "Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman". Association of the U.S. Army. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "LaCamera takes command". Dvidshub.net. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b "PN2392 – Gen. Paul J. LaCamera – Army, 116th Congress (2019–2020)". www.congress.gov. 2020-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  7. ^ Park, Yong-Han; Kyu-Seok, Shim (2020-12-04). "Washington names LaCamera to head USFK". Korea JoongAng Daily (In association with The New York Times). Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  8. ^ "PN461 — Gen. Paul J. LaCamera — Army, 117th Congress (2021–2022)". www.congress.gov. 2021-04-27. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  9. ^ "Major General Paul J. LaCamera". U.S. Army Fort Bragg. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Paul J. LaCamera". www.valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  11. ^ "4th Infantry Division – CDR". Carson.army.mil. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  12. ^ "Milley Formally Nominated as Joint Chiefs Chairman". Association of the United States Army. 2019-04-09. Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  13. ^ "Obituary, Maj Gen Jeffrey Bannister". Cunningham Turch Funeral Home. Alexandria, VA. June 4, 2018. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  14. ^ "Statement of General Paul J. LaCamera, Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea" (PDF). armed-services.senate.gov. Washington, DC: U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. May 28, 2021. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  15. ^ "Thailand Army Master Parachute Wings Parachute jump wings or badge". Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  16. ^ "5B2A0273". 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Log into Facebook". Facebook. ((cite web)): Cite uses generic title (help)
  18. ^ "WEBCAST: U.S. ARMY PACIFIC CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY". dvidshub.net. 2021-06-04. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
Military offices Preceded byJames C. Nixon Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment 2005–2007 Succeeded byRichard D. Clarke Preceded byJoseph Anderson Commander, 4th Infantry Division 2013–2015 Succeeded byRyan F. Gonsalves Preceded byJohn Michael Bednarek Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq 2015–2016 Succeeded byScott McKean Preceded byStephen J. Townsend Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps 2018–2019 Succeeded byMichael Kurilla Preceded byPaul E. Funk II Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve 2018–2019 Succeeded byRobert P. White Preceded byRobert Brooks Brown Commanding General, United States Army Pacific 2019–2021 Succeeded byCharles A. Flynn Preceded byRobert B. Abrams Commander of United Nations CommandCommander of United States Forces KoreaCommander of ROK/US Combined Forces Command 2021–present Incumbent
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