Gen. Joseph L. Votel (U.S. Army, Ret.)
Former Commander of U.S. Central Command, Special Operations Command, and Joint Special Operations Command
Gen. Joseph L. Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star officer and former Commander of U.S. Central Command, where he was responsible for U.S. and coalition military operations in the Middle East, Levant, and Central and South Asia. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. His career included combat in Panama, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Notably, he led a 79-member coalition that successfully liberated Iraq and Syria from the Islamic State. Before his assignment at CENTCOM, he was Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and Joint Special Operations Command.