Bantz J. Craddock
Born (1949-08-24) August 24, 1949
Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1971–2009
RankGeneral
Commands heldSupreme Allied Commander Europe
United States European Command
United States Southern Command
1st Infantry Division (Mechanized)
7th Army Training Command
194th Armored Brigade (Separate)
4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment
Battles/warsGulf War Kosovo War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star Medal
Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Gold (Germany)
Other workMPRI, Inc.[1]

Bantz John Craddock (born August 24, 1949)[2] is a former United States Army general. His last military assignment was as Commander, United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from December 2006 to June 30, 2009. He also served as Commander, United States Southern Command from November 9, 2004 to December 2006. After his retirement in 2009, he became chief executive of Military Professional Resources, Inc. (MPRI).[1]

Early life and education

Craddock was raised in Doddridge County, West Virginia. He graduated from Doddridge County High School in 1967.

Military career

Craddock speaking with a Kosovar soldier in June 1999.
First meeting between Craddock and Major General Valeri Evtoukovitich (left) commander of Russian Forces in Kosovo at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, on July 7, 1999.
Craddock with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in June 2009.

Craddock was commissioned as an Armor officer in the United States Army upon graduation from West Virginia University. His initial tour of duty was with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany, followed by an assignment at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as an armor test officer for the United States Army Armor and Engineer Board. After completion of the Armor Officer Advanced Course, he was again assigned to the 3rd Armored Division, commanding a tank company in the 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment.

In September 1981, Craddock was reassigned to the Office of the Program Manager, Abrams Tank Systems in Warren, Michigan, as a Systems Analyst and later as Program Executive Officer. After graduation from the Command and General Staff College, Craddock joined the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany, serving as the Executive Officer of the 4th Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment for two years. He was subsequently reassigned to the Division Headquarters as the Deputy G3, Operations.

In May 1989, Craddock assumed command of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He commanded the Tuskers for 26 months, deploying as part of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Following command, Craddock was the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, Operations, for the 24th Division. Subsequently, he attended the United States Army War College, graduating in 1993. Craddock then assumed command of the 194th Armored Brigade (Separate) at Fort Knox. In June 1995, Craddock inactivated the brigade as part of the United States Army's post-cold war drawdown, and was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, for III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.

In 1996, Craddock was reassigned to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon as an Assistant Deputy Director in J5. In August 1998, he joined the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver. While serving in that capacity, Craddock was designated as Commander of United States Forces for the initial entry operation into Kosovo. In August 1999, Craddock was reassigned as the Commanding General of the 7th Army Training Command, United States Army Europe. In September 2000, Craddock assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) – the "Big Red One".

From August 2002 to 2004, Craddock served as the Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Craddock served as Combatant Commander of United States Southern Command from 2004 until 2006. On July 14, 2006, NATO announced that Craddock would succeed James L. Jones as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) — NATO's top commander of operations in Europe. The change-of-command ceremony at Mons, Belgium, occurred on December 7, 2006.[3]

Controversy

Craddock defended the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp against criticism. While overseeing Guantanamo, he blocked attempts to get a commander of the camp reprimanded over abuse claims. Craddock insisted that the officer had done nothing wrong.[4]

On January 28, 2009, Der Spiegel reported obtaining a classified NATO document in which Craddock ordered troops to kill drug traffickers and bomb narcotics laboratories in Afghanistan, even if there is no evidence that they are involved in terrorist activities.[5][6]

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates' book Duty is very critical of Craddock in his role as Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Gates cites examples where Craddock did not want fellow United States Army generals, such as Stanley A. McChrystal, to attend coalition meetings with partner nations. At one point Craddock provided his unsolicited advice to Gates regarding who he thought should attend a senior coalition meeting. Gates then had to order Craddock to carry out the mission as instructed by him. In the book, Gates goes on to opine that was the only time in his career in governmental service in which he had to "order" a general officer to carry out a specific task.

Awards and decorations

Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge
SACEUR Badge
24th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
64th Armor Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Valorous Unit Award
Bronze star
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal (with two bronze service stars)
Bronze star
Bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with two bronze service stars)
Bronze star
Bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal (with two bronze service stars)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon (with award numeral 5)
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
Bronze star
NATO Medal for Yugoslavia with bronze service star
Bundeswehr Gold Cross of Honor
El Salvador Gold Medal for Distinguished Services[7]
Cross of Military Merit, First Class (Guatemala)
Nicaraguan decoration (Unidentified)
Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
Estonian Order of the Cross of the Eagle First Class
Canadian Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division)[8]
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Additionally, Craddock has been honored of the following associations:

Personal life

A bridge in Doddridge County, West Virginia, on Route 50 was dedicated to Craddock in 2006.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government

  1. 1 2 "MPRI". MPRI. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  2. States, United (2007-01-01). Nominations before the Senate Armed Services Committee, second session ... – United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services — Google Boeken. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160790881. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  3. Guantanamo chief to become NATO top commander, Reuters, July 14, 2006
  4. "Guantanamo general to head Nato". BBC. July 14, 2006. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  5. Koelbl, Susanne (28 January 2009). "NATO High Commander Issues Illegitimate Order to Kill". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  6. Gebauer, Matthias; Koelbl, Susanne (29 January 2009). "Order to Kill Angers German Politicians". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  7. "Salvadoran Government awards Medal to U.S. Southern Command Commander (September 05, 2006) | Embassy of the United States San Salvador, El Salvador". sansalvador.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  8. Canada Gazette
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