Jonathan P. Braga

Summary

Jonathan Patrick Braga[3] (born 19 June 1969)[4] is a United States Army lieutenant general, serving as the commanding general of United States Army Special Operations Command since 13 August 2021.[5] He previously served as a deputy commanding general of United States Army Pacific from August 2020 to July 2021, as commander of Special Operations Command Pacific from July 2018 to August 2020,[6] and before that as operations director of Operation Inherent Resolve, the official name for the US war on ISIS.[7]

Jonathan P. Braga
Nickname(s)Jon[1]
Born (1969-06-19) 19 June 1969 (age 54)
Attleboro, Massachusetts[2]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1991–present
RankLieutenant General
Commands heldUnited States Army Special Operations Command
Special Operations Command Pacific
JSOC – Army Pacific
7th Special Forces Group
Delta Force
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Operation Inherent Resolve
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (4)

On 12 August 2021, he was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed command of the United States Army Special Operations Command one day later, succeeding Francis M. Beaudette.[8][9]

Military career edit

Braga graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in national security public affairs, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch in 1991.[3][10] His first assignment was rifle platoon leader with the 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth Army in South Korea, followed by service with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California. He then attended Army Special Forces Qualification Course and served with the 7th Special Forces Group from 1995 to 2001 as Operational Detachment-A commander and Company Executive Commander. Braga completed the selection course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He would serve numerous leadership positions as squadron operations officer and troop commander with deployments on Operation Iraqi Freedom until 2005.[2] Braga earned a master's degree from the Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College in 2006 and transferred to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Washington, D.C. Braga returned to United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in 2008 and served as operations officer, Squadron Commander and Deputy Unit Commander.

 
Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga assumes command of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, during a ceremony at Fort Bragg, Aug. 13, 2021.

Braga's most recent assignments include: Army War College Special Operations Fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School, Garrison Commander of the National Training Center in Fort Irwin from 2013 to 2015; Chief of Staff at Joint Special Operations Command from 2015 to 2017 and Director of Operations, Combined Joint Task Force—Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in Iraq. Braga assumed command as Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific on 27 July 2018.

Operation Inherent Resolve edit

Braga praised the collaboration with Kurdish troops on the ground:[7]

I'm very impressed. These people stood up without any international support. [...] It's the partnership we wished for, but never had, [...] I think the world owes them a debt of gratitude. They were the first to stand up against [ISIS].

— Jonathan P. Braga, 30 March 2018[7]

Awards and decorations edit

U.S. military decorations
  Army Distinguished Service Medal[11]
 
 
 
 
Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze "C" device and two bronze oak leaf clusters
 
 
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
 
 
 
 
Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters
 
 
 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
 
 
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
 
 
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
 
 
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
 
 
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
 
 
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
U.S. Unit Awards
  Army Presidential Unit Citation
  Joint Meritorious Unit Award
  Meritorious Unit Commendation
U.S. Service (Campaign) Medals and Service and Training Ribbons
 
 
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
 
 
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
 
 
 
 
 
Iraq Campaign Medal with four service stars
 
 
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with campaign star
  Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  Korea Defense Service Medal
  Humanitarian Service Medal
  Army Service Ribbon
   Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
Badges
  Combat Infantryman Badge
  Expert Infantryman Badge
  Special Forces Tab
  Ranger Tab
   Master Parachutist Badge with USASOC background trimming
  Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge
  Air Assault Badge
  United States Army Special Operations Command Combat Service Identification Badge
  Mexican Parachutist Badge
  Ecuadorian Parachutist Badge
  1st Special Forces Command Distinctive Unit Insignia
  7 Overseas Service Bars

Personal life edit

Braga is the son of Reid and Mary Braga.[3]

Braga is married to the former Melanie Rohrbaugh of Apple Valley, Calif. The couple has five children.[citation needed] Braga and Rohrbaugh were married on 4 September 1999 at Fort Bragg.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Ozawa, Les (18 July 2013). "Col. Braga is new Fort Irwin Garrison commander". U.S. Army. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Brigadier General Jonathan P. Braga Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific" (PDF). SOCOM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b c d "Weddings published Dec. 5". The Sun Chronicle. Attleboro, Massachusetts. 4 December 1999. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy". 1991. p. 882. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. ^ Staff Sgt. Brandon Allums (2021-08-13). "USASOC welcomes its newest command team". DVIDS. United States Army Special Operations Command.
  6. ^ "SOCPAC Change of Command". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b c Engel, Richard; Werner, Kennett (2018-03-30), White House chaos jeopardizes war on ISIS, U.S. commanders warn
  8. ^ "PN623 — Maj. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga — Army". www.congress.gov. June 8, 2021.
  9. ^ "FY 21 Announcements". GOMO. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
  10. ^ "Jonathan P. Braga". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2021-08-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Military offices
Preceded by Director of Operations of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
2017–2018
Succeeded by
David S. Doyle
Preceded by Commander of the Special Operations Command Pacific
2018–2020
Succeeded by
Joshua M. Rudd
Preceded by Deputy Commanding General (South) of the United States Army Pacific
2020–2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding General of the United States Army Special Operations Command
2021–present
Incumbent