David Petraeus

David Petraeus
Darren Livingston · Public domain · source
Name	David Petraeus
Caption	General David H. Petraeus, U.S. Army
Birth date	7 November 1952
Birth place	Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1974–2011
Rank	General
Commands	United States Central Command, Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States Army Combined Arms Center, 101st Airborne Division, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Battles	War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (4), Army Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (4), Bronze Star Medal
Spouse	Holly Knowlton, 1974
Education	United States Military Academy (BS), Princeton University (MPA, PhD)

David Petraeus is a retired United States Army general and former public official known for his leadership during the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). He commanded the Multi-National Force – Iraq during the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 and later served as commander of United States Central Command and as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. His military career, marked by a doctorate from Princeton University and authorship of counterinsurgency doctrine, was followed by a post-military career in finance and academia.

Early life and education

David Howell Petraeus was born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1974, where he was a distinguished cadet. He later earned a Master of Public Administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. His doctoral dissertation focused on the lessons of the Vietnam War for the United States Army, foreshadowing his future work on military doctrine.

Military career

Commissioned as an infantry officer, Petraeus held various command and staff positions, including with the 24th Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Division. He served as an assistant to General John Galvin at United States Southern Command and later commanded the 101st Airborne Division during the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. Following this, he was tasked with overseeing the training of Iraqi Security Forces as commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq. His most prominent command was leading the Multi-National Force – Iraq from 2007 to 2008, where he implemented the troop surge strategy and co-authored the U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual. He subsequently served as the commander of United States Central Command from 2008 to 2010, overseeing operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, before being appointed by President Barack Obama as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in 2010.

Post-military career

Petraeus retired from the United States Army in 2011 and was sworn in as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency later that year. He resigned from the CIA in 2012 following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into the mishandling of classified information. Following his government service, he joined the global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) as Chairman of the KKR Global Institute. He has also served as a visiting professor at the Macro Center of the University of Southern California, a Judge Widney Professor at the University of Southern California, and a non-resident senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a frequent commentator on national security issues for outlets like the Fox News Channel.

Personal life

Petraeus married Holly Knowlton, the daughter of former United States Military Academy Superintendent General William A. Knowlton, in 1974. The couple has two adult children. An avid athlete, he famously survived a near-fatal parachuting accident in 1991 and later completed the Army Ten-Miler. His personal life became the subject of significant media scrutiny during the FBI investigation that led to his resignation from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Awards and decorations

Petraeus's military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, and the Bronze Star Medal. He is also a recipient of the State Department's Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award and has been decorated by numerous allied nations, including the United Kingdom's Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and France's Légion d'honneur.

Category:United States Army generals Category:Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency Category:American military personnel of the Iraq War