Marine corps general officers

Africom general
Lieutenant General Waldhauser was born in South St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a graduate of Bemidji State.
Thomas David "Tom" Waldhauser (born December 16, 1953) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who was the Commander of United States Africa Command.

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On April 7, the Wall Street Journal reported President Obama’s intention to nominate Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, U.S. Marine Corps, to head U.S. Africa Command. Waldhauser is a 1976 Bemidji State University psychology graduate and former Beaver Hockey player.

U.S. Africa Command is one of six unified geographic combatant commands within the Department of Defense unified command structure. It is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for military relations with African nations, the African Union and African regional security organizations. U.S. Africa Command includes Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa; Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines operations in Africa; and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa. U.S. Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez has been in command of U.S. Africa Command since April 2013.

Waldhauser, a South St. Paul, Minn. native, is currently Director for Joint Force Development, J-7, with the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. The J-7 is responsible for the six functions of joint force development: doctrine, educati

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Thomas D. Waldhauser

United States Marine Corps general (born 1953)

Thomas David "Tom" Waldhauser (born December 16, 1953) is a retired United States Marine Corpsgeneral who was the Commander of United States Africa Command. He previously served as Director for Joint Force Development, J7 on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Commanding General, United States Marine Forces Central Command. Waldhauser is an alumnus of Bemidji State University.^[1]

Military career

Waldhauser was born in South St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a graduate of Bemidji State University.^[2] He was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps in 1976 as an infantry officer through the Platoon Leaders Class program via Officer Candidates School. His company grade assignments included platoon and company commander billets with both the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions; Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Long Beach (CGN-9); and staff of the Commander of Amphibious Squadron Seven.

As a field grade

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Waldhauser Nominated to Replace Rodriguez at Africa Command

President Barack Obama has nominated Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser for promotion to four-star rank to replace retiring Army Gen. David Rodriguez as head of U.S. Africa Command in the ongoing effort to halt the spread of ISIS on the continent, the Pentagon said Thursday.

If confirmed by the Senate to lead the command, Waldhauser would become the only Marine to head one of the combatant commands. In a statement, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called Waldhauser, 62, of St. Paul, Minnesota, the "perfect pick for this dynamic command."

Waldhauser, currently the director for Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, was commissioned in 1976. He served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991 and, as commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, led Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq. As a Major General, Waldhauser was commander the 1st Marine division.

Waldhauser would replace the highly-regarded Rodriguez, 61, who also was commissioned in 1976 and has spent more time in combat zones fr