Leadership of the United States Special Operations Command

This is a list of all commanders, deputy commanders, vice commanders, senior enlisted leaders, and chiefs of staff of the United States Special Operations Command. Note that articles in red text are yet to be created.

Seal of the United States Special Operations Command

Current combatant command staff

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List of commanders of the United States Special Operations Command

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Commander of the United States Special Operations Command
 
Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command
since 30 August 2022
United States Department of Defense
TypeUnified combatant commander
AbbreviationCDRUSSOCOM[6]
Reports toPresident of the United States
Secretary of Defense
SeatMacDill Air Force Base, Florida, U.S.
NominatorSecretary of Defense
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length2–3 years
(approx.)
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 167
Formation16 April 1987
First holderDuane H. Cassidy
DeputyDeputy Commander, United States Special Operations Command
No. Commander Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1Lindsay, James J.General
James J. Lindsay
(1932–2023)
16 April 198727 June 19903 years, 72 days 
U.S. Army
2Stiner, Carl W.General
Carl Stiner
(1936–2022)
27 June 199020 May 19932 years, 327 days 
U.S. Army
3Downing, Wayne A.General
Wayne A. Downing
(1940–2007)
20 May 199329 February 19962 years, 285 days 
U.S. Army
4Shelton, Henry H.General
Hugh Shelton
(born 1942)
29 February 199625 September 19971 year, 209 days 
U.S. Army
-Smith, Raymond C. Jr.Rear Admiral
Raymond C. Smith
(1943–2022)
Acting
25 September 19975 November 199741 days 
U.S. Navy
5Schoomaker, PeterGeneral
Peter Schoomaker
(born 1946)
5 November 199727 October 20002 years, 357 days 
U.S. Army
6Holland, Charles R.General
Charles R. Holland
(born 1948)
27 October 20002 September 20032 years, 310 days 
U.S. Air Force
7Brown, Bryan D.General
Bryan D. Brown
(born 1948)
2 September 20039 July 20073 years, 310 days 
U.S. Army
8Olson, Eric T.Admiral
Eric T. Olson
(born 1952)
9 July 20078 August 20114 years, 30 days 
U.S. Navy
9McRaven, William H.Admiral
William H. McRaven
(born 1955)
8 August 201128 August 20143 years, 20 days 
U.S. Navy
10Votel, Joseph L.General
Joseph Votel
(born 1958)
28 August 201430 March 20161 year, 215 days 
U.S. Army
11Thomas, Raymond A.General
Raymond A. Thomas
(born 1958)
30 March 201629 March 20192 years, 364 days 
U.S. Army
12Clarke, Richard D.General
Richard D. Clarke
(born 1962)
29 March 201930 August 20223 years, 154 days 
U.S. Army
13Fenton, Bryan P.General
Bryan P. Fenton
(born 1965)
30 August 2022Incumbent2 years, 84 days 
U.S. Army

List of deputy commanders of the United States Special Operations Command

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No. Deputy Commander Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1Goodall, Harry A.Lieutenant General
Harry A. Goodall
16 April 1987May 1988~1 year, 29 days 
U.S. Air Force
2Cox, Hugh L. IIIMajor General
Hugh L. Cox III
May 1988July 1990~2 years, 61 days 
U.S. Air Force
3Snyder, DonaldMajor General
Donald Snyder
July 1990May 1991~304 days 
U.S. Air Force
4Eggers, Thomas E.Major General
Thomas E. Eggers
June 1991July 1993~2 years, 30 days 
U.S. Air Force
5Le Moyne, Irve C.Rear Admiral
Irve C. Le Moyne
(1940–1997)
July 1993May 1996~2 years, 305 days 
U.S. Navy
6McCombs, James C.Major General
James C. McCombs
May 19961997~1 year, 46 days 
U.S. Air Force
7Smith, Raymond C.Rear Admiral
Raymond C. Smith
(1943–2022)
19972001~4 years, 0 days 
U.S. Navy
8Brown, Bryan D.Lieutenant General
Bryan D. Brown
20022003~1 year, 0 days 
U.S. Army
9Olson, Eric T.Vice Admiral
Eric T. Olson
(born 1952)
2003July 2007~4 years, 15 days 
U.S. Navy
10Kearney, Francis H. IIILieutenant General
Francis H. Kearney III
July 2007~April 2010~2 years, 274 days 
U.S. Army
11Fridovich, David P.Lieutenant General
David P. Fridovich
~April 2010December 2011~1 year, 244 days 
U.S. Army
12Mulholland, John F. Jr.Lieutenant General
John F. Mulholland Jr.
(born 1955)
August 2012July 2014~1 year, 334 days 
U.S. Army
13Pybus, Sean A.Vice Admiral
Sean A. Pybus
(born 1957)
July 2014July 2016~2 years, 0 days 
U.S. Navy
14Osterman, JosephLieutenant General
Joseph Osterman
(born 1960)
July 201615 October 2018~2 years, 92 days 
U.S. Marine Corps
15Szymanski, TimothyVice Admiral
Timothy Szymanski
(born 1962)
15 October 201816 December 20213 years, 62 days 
U.S. Navy
16Green, Collin P.Vice Admiral
Collin P. Green
(born 1962)
16 December 202120 January 20242 years, 35 days 
U.S. Navy
17Farrell, Sean M.Lieutenant General
Sean M. Farrell
27 March 2024Incumbent240 days 
U.S. Air Force

List of vice commanders of the United States Special Operations Command

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No. Deputy Commander Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1Fiel, Eric E.Lieutenant General
Eric E. Fiel
11 June 201019 July 20111 year, 38 days 
U.S. Air Force
2Heithold, Bradley A.Lieutenant General
Bradley A. Heithold
19 July 201116 June 20142 years, 332 days 
U.S. Air Force
3Trask, Thomas J.Lieutenant General
Thomas J. Trask
16 June 20142 August 20173 years, 47 days 
U.S. Air Force
4Howell, Scott A.Lieutenant General
Scott A. Howell
(born 1965)
2 August 201729 July 2018361 days 
U.S. Air Force
5Slife, James C.Lieutenant General
James C. Slife
(born 1967)
29 July 2018June 2019~321 days 
U.S. Air Force
6Bauernfeind, Tony D.Lieutenant General
Tony D. Bauernfeind
31 June 20209 December 20222 years, 162 days 
U.S. Air Force
7Donovan, Francis L.Lieutenant General
Francis L. Donovan
~15 December 2022Incumbent~1 year, 343 days 
U.S. Marine Corps

List of senior enlisted leaders of the United States Special Operations Command

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No. Senior enlisted leader Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1Command Master Chief
Rudolph E. Boesch
(1928–2019)
April 1987April 1990~3 years, 0 days 
U.S. Navy
2Chief Master Sergeant
Michael I. Lampe
(born 1949)
April 19911997~6 years, 0 days 
U.S. Air Force
3Command Sergeant Major
Melvin L. Wick
1997August 2000~3 years, 134 days 
U.S. Army
4Command Master Chief
Richard M. Rogers
August 200027 August 2003~2 years, 364 days 
U.S. Navy
5Chief Master Sergeant
Robert V. Martens Jr.
27 August 200323 January 20062 years, 149 days 
U.S. Air Force
6Command Sergeant Major
Thomas H. Smith
23 January 200627 September 20115 years, 247 days 
U.S. Army
7Command Sergeant Major
James C. Faris
27 September 201115 October 20143 years, 18 days 
U.S. Army
8Command Sergeant Major
William F. Thetford
15 October 20147 July 20161 year, 266 days 
U.S. Army
9Command Sergeant Major
Patrick L. McCauley
7 July 201611 July 20193 years, 4 days 
U.S. Army
10Command Chief Master Sergeant
Gregory A. Smith
11 July 20194 August 20223 years, 24 days 
U.S. Air Force
11Command Sergeant Major
Shane W. Shorter
4 August 2022Incumbent2 years, 110 days 
U.S. Army

List of chiefs of staff of the United States Special Operations Command

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No. Chief of Staff Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
-Brigadier General
Gary W. Heckman
December 1997August 1998~243 days 
U.S. Air Force
-Major General
Joseph Votel
(born 1958)
~3 May 2010May 2011~1 year, 12 days 
U.S. Army
-Major General
Mark A. Clark
May 2011August 2012~1 year, 92 days 
U.S. Marine Corps
-Major General
James B. Laster
August 20122014~1 year, 319 days 
U.S. Marine Corps
-Major General
Walter Lee Miller Jr.
~2014~October 2015~1 year, 107 days 
U.S. Marine Corps
-Major General
J. Marcus Hicks
October 2015June 2017~1 year, 243 days 
U.S. Air Force
-Major General
James C. Slife
(born 1967)
June 2017June 2018~1 year, 0 days 
U.S. Air Force
-Major General
James B. Linder
July 2018July 2019~1 year, 0 days 
U.S. Army
-Major General
Tony D. Bauernfeind
July 2019August 2020~1 year, 31 days 
U.S. Air Force
-Rear Admiral
Collin P. Green
(born 1962)
15 October 2020September 2021~335 days 
U.S. Navy
-Major General
Marcus S. Evans
(born 1970)
September 2021August 2023~1 year, 334 days 
U.S. Army
-Rear Admiral
Milton Sands III
31 July 2023July 2024~336 days 
U.S. Navy
-Major General
Guillaume Beaurpere
July 2024Incumbent~144 days 
U.S. Army

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brigadier General Constantin E. Nicolet - General Officer Management Office". www.gomo.army.mil.
  2. ^ a b https://www.socom.mil/FactBook/2023%20Fact%20Book.pdf
  3. ^ "Kim Field - U.S. Special Operations Command | LinkedIn".
  4. ^ "Major General Steven M. Marks - General Officer Management Office". www.gomo.army.mil.
  5. ^ "National Guard Biography". www.nationalguard.mil.
  6. ^ "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, January 2021" (PDF). jcs.mil. Retrieved 15 May 2021.