James F. Amos
| James Amos | |
|---|---|
 Amos in October 2010 |
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| Nickname | "Jim" |
| Born | November 12, 1946 Wendell, Idaho, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1970–present |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands held | Commandant of the Marine Corps Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Marine Corps Combat Development Command II Marine Expeditionary Force 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Marine Aircraft Group 31 VMFA-312 |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal |
James F. "Jim" Amos (born November 12, 1946)[1] is a four-star General in the United States Marine Corps and the 35th and current Commandant of the Marine Corps. As a Naval Aviator, Amos commanded the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004. He served as the 31st Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from July 3, 2008 to October 22, 2010. Amos assumed his current assignment on October 22, 2010.[2]
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Early life and education [edit]
Amos was born on November 12, 1946, in the Wendell, Idaho, and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1970.
Career [edit]
Amos was designated a Naval Aviator in 1971, and has held a variety of operational and staff assignments since 1972. His operational assignments include tours with VMFA-212, VMFA-235, VMFA-232 and VMFA-122 where he flew the F-4 Phantom II. In 1985 then-Lieutenant Colonel Amos assumed command of Marine Air Base Squadron 24. Transitioning to the F/A-18 Hornet, he assumed command of VMFA-312 and subsequently joined Carrier Air Wing Eight on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). In May 1996, Colonel Amos took command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 in Beaufort, South Carolina. In August 2002, he assumed command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and deployed with them to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Amos served as Commanding General of the II Marine Expeditionary Force from July 2004 to July 2006.
Amos's staff assignments include tours with MAG-15 and MAG-31, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Training Squadron Seven, The Basic School, and the MAGTF Staff Training Program. Promoted to brigadier general in 1998, he was assigned to NATO as Deputy Commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and as the U.S. Deputy Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Europe, at Naples, Italy. During this tour he commanded NATO's Kosovo Verification Coordination Center, and served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil during the air campaign over Yugoslavia. Transferred in 2000 to The Pentagon, he was assigned as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation. Reassigned in December 2001, Amos served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations Department, Headquarters Marine Corps. From August 2006 to July 2008, Amos served as Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration.
Amos became the 31st Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on July 4, 2008.[3] In June 2010, Amos was recommended for nomination by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to succeed James T. Conway as Commandant, while recommending Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. to fill his role as Assistant Commandant.[4][5] He was formally nominated by President Barack Obama on July 20,[6] who interviewed him for the job on June 17.[7][8] He received support from the Senate Armed Services Committee during a confirmation hearing on September 21,[9] and confirmed shortly thereafter. On October 22, 2010, Conway turned the position over to Amos at a ceremony at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C..[4][5][10] This marked the first time an Marine aviator has held the position of Commandant and the first sitting Assistant Commandant since 1983 to become Commandant.
Repeal of don't ask, don't tell [edit]
As Commandant, Amos opposed the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuals openly serving in the U.S. military.[11] After President Obama signed the legislation setting the conditions for repeal, Amos led the Department of Defense in carrying out the will of the nation's civilian leadership.[12] In late November 2011, Amos stated that his opposition to gays openly serving in the military has proven unfounded and said that Marines have embraced the change, describing the repeal as a "non-event."[13]
Personal life [edit]
Amos is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia and the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Awards and education [edit]
He also holds the rifle sharpshooter and 12 expert pistol marksmanship badges.
Medals and ribbons [edit]
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| Naval Aviator insignia | Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | |||||
| 1st row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd row | Defense Superior Service Medal | Legion of Merit w/ 1 award star | Bronze Star | Meritorious Service Medal | ||
| 3rd row | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Navy Presidential Unit Citation | Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 1 oak leaf cluster | ||
| 4th row | Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star | National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 service stars | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | ||
| 5th row | Kosovo Campaign Medal w/ 2 service stars | Iraq Campaign Medal w/ 1 service star | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | ||
| 6th row | Armed Forces Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 1 silver service star | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 service star | NATO Medal for Yugoslavia w/ 1 service star | ||
See also [edit]
- Commandant of the Marine Corps
- Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
- List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals
Notes [edit]
- ^ "Commandants of the U.S. Marine Corps". USMC TECOM.
- ^ Martinez, Luis. "Marines Vow to 'Step Out Smartly' on Repeal of Military Gay Ban". ABC News. Retrieved 31 Jan 2011.
- ^ United States Marine Corps History Division Marine Corps Assistant Commandants
- ^ a b "Gates pegs Amos to lead Marine Corps". United Press International. June 15, 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
- ^ a b Cavas, Christopher P. (June 15, 2010). "Amos expected to be named commandant". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
- ^ Cavallaro, Gina (20 July 2010). "Obama nominates Amos for commandant post". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
- ^ Ackerman, Spencer (June 21, 2010). "Gen. Amos Will Be the Next Marine Corps Commandant". The Washington Independent. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
- ^ http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13625
- ^ Cavallaro, Gina (September 21, 2010). "Amos faces panel in confirmation hearing". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ Shea, Sgt Jimmy D. (22 October 2010). "Taking the Reins: Marine Corps Welcomes New Commandant". Headquarters Marine Corps. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
- ^ Bumiller, Elisabeth (3 December 2010). "Service Chiefs Tell Panel of Risks to Repeal of Gay Ban". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ^ Martinez, Luis (January 31, 2011). "Marines step out smartly in DADT repeal". ABC News. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ Robert Burns, Marine commandant: End of gay ban a non-event, Associated Press (Nov. 28, 2011).
References [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: James F. Amos |
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- "Official website for James F. Amos". United States Marine Corps. October 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- "Official Biography:Lieutenant General James F. Amos, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration". Biographies: General Officers & Senior Executives. Manpower & Reserve Affairs, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
- "Official Biography:General James F. Amos, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps". Biographies: General Officers & Senior Executives. Manpower & Reserve Affairs, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Conway |
Commandant of the Marine Corps 2010–present |
Incumbent |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Norton Schwartz as Chief of Staff of the Air Force |
Order of Precedence of the United States as Commandant of the Marine Corps |
Succeeded by Raymond Odierno as Chief of Staff of the Army |
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- 1946 births
- American military personnel of the Iraq War
- Living people
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- United States Marine Corps generals
- University of Idaho alumni
- People from Wendell, Idaho
- Recipients of the Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
