Thomas R. Turner II
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Thomas R. Turner II is the commanding general of the United States Army North
, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
in 1974 and was commissioned as second lieutenant in the infantry
. His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), as a platoon
leader and company
executive officer
. In August 1977, he was assigned as a platoon leader with the United Nations Command
Security Force, Joint Security Area
, Panmunjom, Korea. He attended the Infantry Officer Advance Course prior to taking command of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Following this assignment, he served as the Aide-de-Camp
to the Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Combat Development Activity at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In February 1981, he was assigned to the 2d Battalion
, 75th Infantry (Ranger)
where he served as the battalion S5 and company commander of C Company. Upon graduation from the Naval Postgraduate School
and completion of the Armed Forces Staff College, he was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment where he served as the Regimental Plans and Liaison Officer. In September 1986, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion
, 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served as the battalion S3 (operations) and executive officer. Subsequently, he was named the Assistant to the Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment, during Operation Just Cause in Panama
. Next, MG Turner was assigned as Commander, United Nations Command Security Force, Joint Security Area
, Panmunjom, South Korea
. Following completion of the United States Army War College an Carlisle Barracks
, Pennsylvania
, he assumed command of 2d Brigade, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
. Upon relinquishing command, he served as the Chief of Staff for the 82d Airborne Division. Selected to attend the Royal College of Defense Studies in London
, England
, he served a one-year tour as a British
Defense college Fellow and was subsequently named the Executive Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief
, United States Atlantic Command
, and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
, in Norfolk
, Virginia
.
In September 1999, Turner returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as the Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps. Following this assignment, he was named the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver of the 1st Infantry Division
, United States Army Europe
and U.S. Seventh Army, Germany
. In August 2001, he was assigned as the Deputy United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Brussels
, Belgium
. On 2 December 2002, Turner assumed command of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (Airborne) in Vicenza
, Italy
.
Following his assignment in Italy, Turner was made the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
in May 2004.
On September 23, 2005, Turner deployed with the 101st to Iraq
for one year. On November 10, 2006, the 101st Airborne changed commands, with Turner turning over his command of the Division and Ft. Campbell to Major General
Jeffrey J. Schloesser
.
On December 4, 2006, Lieutenant General Turner received his third star and became the commanding general of United States Army North. Located on Fort Sam Houston
, Texas, United States Army North is the Army's service component command for U.S. Northern Command and the U. S. Northern Command Joint Force Land Component Command.
He set to retire June 8, 2010.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Thomas R. Turner II is the commanding general of the United States Army North
United States Army North
United States Army North, or the Fifth Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army. It is responsible for homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities as the joint force land component command of United States Northern Command.-History:The Fifth United States...
, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Military career
Turner graduated from the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1974 and was commissioned as second lieutenant in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), as a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
leader and company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
. In August 1977, he was assigned as a platoon leader with the United Nations Command
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
Security Force, Joint Security Area
Joint Security Area
The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. It is often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts...
, Panmunjom, Korea. He attended the Infantry Officer Advance Course prior to taking command of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Following this assignment, he served as the Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Combat Development Activity at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In February 1981, he was assigned to the 2d Battalion
2nd Ranger Battalion
2nd Ranger Battalion is the name of two distinct units of United States Army Rangers. The first was part of the six Ranger battalions of the Second World War...
, 75th Infantry (Ranger)
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
where he served as the battalion S5 and company commander of C Company. Upon graduation from the Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
and completion of the Armed Forces Staff College, he was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment where he served as the Regimental Plans and Liaison Officer. In September 1986, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion
3d Ranger Battalion
The 3rd Ranger Battalion is one of three battalions of United States Army Rangers. They perform special operations, as well as light infantry missions and are based in Fort Benning, Georgia.-History:...
, 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served as the battalion S3 (operations) and executive officer. Subsequently, he was named the Assistant to the Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment, during Operation Just Cause in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Next, MG Turner was assigned as Commander, United Nations Command Security Force, Joint Security Area
Joint Security Area
The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. It is often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts...
, Panmunjom, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Following completion of the United States Army War College an Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, he assumed command of 2d Brigade, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
. Upon relinquishing command, he served as the Chief of Staff for the 82d Airborne Division. Selected to attend the Royal College of Defense Studies in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he served a one-year tour as a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Defense college Fellow and was subsequently named the Executive Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, United States Atlantic Command
United States Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno...
, and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation , the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe . The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic, based at Norfolk, Virginia...
, in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
In September 1999, Turner returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as the Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps. Following this assignment, he was named the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver of the 1st Infantry Division
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
, United States Army Europe
United States Army Europe
United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and the land component of United States European Command. It is the largest American formation in Europe.-Invasion of Sicily:...
and U.S. Seventh Army, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In August 2001, he was assigned as the Deputy United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. On 2 December 2002, Turner assumed command of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (Airborne) in Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Following his assignment in Italy, Turner was made the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in May 2004.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for one year. On November 10, 2006, the 101st Airborne changed commands, with Turner turning over his command of the Division and Ft. Campbell to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Jeffrey J. Schloesser
Jeffrey J. Schloesser
Jeffrey J. Schloesser, USA is a retired Major General and the current President of . Schloesser retired from the Army in August 2010 as the Director of Army Aviation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G3/5/7 and former commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell,...
.
On December 4, 2006, Lieutenant General Turner received his third star and became the commanding general of United States Army North. Located on Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas, United States Army North is the Army's service component command for U.S. Northern Command and the U. S. Northern Command Joint Force Land Component Command.
He set to retire June 8, 2010.
Awards and decorations
Defense Superior Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalThe Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
with two oak leaf clusterOak leaf clusterAn oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
s
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster- Combat Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
- Expert Infantryman BadgeExpert Infantryman BadgeThe Expert Infantryman Badge, or EIB, is a military badge of the United States Army. Although similar in name and appearance to the Combat Infantryman Badge , it is a completely different award: while the CIB is awarded for participation in ground combat, the EIB is presented for completion of a...
- Ranger TabRanger TabThe Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...
- Master Parachutist Badge
- Pathfinder BadgePathfinder Badge (United States)The Pathfinder Badge is a military badge of the United States Army awarded to soldiers who successfully complete the U.S. Army Pathfinder School at Fort Benning, Georgia...
- Joint Staff Identification Badge
- Italian Parachutist Badge