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Jim Mattis

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James N. Mattis
General James N. Mattis, USMC
Nickname(s)"Chaos"
"Warrior Monk"
"Mad Dog Mattis"[1]
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1972 - present
Rank General
Commands heldU.S. Joint Forces Command
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
I Marine Expeditionary Force
U.S. Marine Forces Central Command
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
1st Marine Division
7th Marine Regiment
1st Battalion, 7th Marines
Battles/warsOperation Desert Storm
Operation Enduring Freedom
*2001 invasion of Afghanistan
Operation Iraqi Freedom
*2003 invasion of Iraq
*Operation Vigilant Resolve
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star with "V"

General James N. Mattis, USMC is the current Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM). He previously served as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation for NATO and as Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force and Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command. He assumed his current assignment on November 9, 2007.

Marine Corps career

Mattis attended Central Washington University[2] and was commissioned a second lieutenant January 1, 1972.[3] As a lieutenant, he served as a rifle and weapons platoon commander in the 3rd Marine Division. As a captain, he commanded a rifle company and a weapons company in the 1st Marine Brigade. As a Major, he commanded RS Portland. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, one of Task Force Ripper's assault battalions in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a colonel, he commanded 7th Marines (Reinforced). As a Brigadier General, he commanded 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and then Task Force 58 (TF-58), during Operation Enduring Freedom in southern Afghanistan. As the commander of TF-58, he became the first Marine to command a Naval Task Force in combat.[4] As a major general, he commanded the 1st Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent stability operations in during the Iraq War.

He is a graduate of the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.

General Mattis played a key role in the April 2004 battle of Fallujah, Operation Vigilant Resolve, by negotiating with the insurgent command inside of the city, as well as playing an important part in the November 2004 battle of Fallujah, during Operation Phantom Fury. Mattis is famously known for simultaneously being concise and colorful with his choice of words. While in charge of US Military Forces in Iraq, Mattis was meeting with tribal leaders in the Fallujah in an attempt to reduce the violence. It has been widely reported that Mattis opened the meeting by saying

I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all.


On February 1, 2005, Lieutenant General Mattis, speaking Ad libitum at a forum in San Diego, said "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling." Mattis's remarks sparked controversy and General Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, issued a statement suggesting that Mattis should have chosen his words more carefully, but would not be disciplined.[5]

As reported in the Los Angeles Times in May 2007, following a Pentagon survey that showed only 55% of soldiers and 40% of Marines would report a colleague for abusing civilians, Mattis told his Marines, “Whenever you show anger or disgust toward civilians, it's a victory for Al Qaeda and other insurgents.” Reflecting an understanding of the need for restraint in war, restraint that is a key to defeating an insurgency, he added that, "Every time you wave at an Iraqi civilian, Al Qaeda rolls over in its grave."[6]


The Pentagon announced on May 31, 2006 that LtGen Mattis had been chosen to take command of the I Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Camp Pendleton, California.[7]

Letter written by MajGen Mattis and distributed to the 1st Marine Division a day before the 2003 Iraq War

General Mattis popularized the slogan "no better friend, no worse enemy", (originally coined by the Dictator Sulla as his own epitaph in 78 BC) for his command. This phrase became widely publicized during the investigation into the conduct of Lieutenant Ilario Pantano, a platoon commander serving under General Mattis.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

On 11 September 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced that President George W. Bush had nominated LtGen. Mattis for appointment to the rank of general with assignment as commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia. NATO has also agreed to appoint Mattis as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.

On 28 September 2007, the United States Senate confirmed Lt. Gen Mattis as the next JFCOM commander. He has relinqished command of I MEF on 5 November, 2007 to LtGen Samuel Helland. Mattis was promoted to four-star general and took control of JFCOM/SACT on 9 November 2007. He transferred the job of SACT to French General Stéphane Abrial on 9 September 2009, but continued in command of JFCOM.[15]

Decorations and awards

Bronze oak leaf cluster
V
Gold star
Gold star
File:NavyPres.gif
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Silver star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
First row Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 oak leaf cluster Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit
Second row Bronze Star w/ valor device Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 award stars Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Combat Action Ribbon
Third row Presidential Unit Citation Joint Meritorious Unit Award Navy Unit Commendation Navy and Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation
Fourth row Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 service stars Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 service stars Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Fifth row Iraq Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Sixth row Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 7 service stars Marine Corps Recruiting Service Ribbon w/ 1 service star Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge

Portrayals in media

General James Mattis will be played by Harrison Ford in the upcoming film No True Glory: The Battle for Fallujah, based on the book by Bing West.[16]

General James Mattis is portrayed by Robert John Burke in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James N. Mattis.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Jim Mattis.

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References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
Notes
  1. ^ Boot, Max (2006). "The Corps should look to its small-wars past". Armed Forces Journal. Retrieved 2007-06-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ United States Joint Forces Command Website
  3. ^ Reynolds Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond, p. 4.
  4. ^ Reynolds Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond, p. 5.
  5. ^ Guardiano, John R. (2005). "Breaking the Warrior Code". The American Spectator. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ “General Urges Marines To Add A Friendly Wave To Their Arsenal,” Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2007.
  7. ^ Lowe, Christian (June 12, 2006). "Popular commander to lead I MEF". Marine Corps Times. p. 24. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  8. ^ "Top 10 Stories of 2005: Pantano, roads, Olchowski are 10-7". Star News Online. December 28, 2005. Retrieved January 24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  9. ^ Quinn-Judge, Paul (February 28, 2005). "Did He Go Too Far?". TIME. Retrieved January 24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Phillips, Stone (April 26, 2005). "Marine charged with murders of Iraqis: Lieutenant claims self-defense in shooting of detainees". MSNBC. Retrieved January 24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  11. ^ Jeff Schogol (November 16, 2005). "Marine acquitted in Iraqi shootings will publish a book". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved January 24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  12. ^ Walker, Mark (July 1, 2006). "Pantano case has parallels to Hamdania incident". North County Times. Retrieved January 24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  13. ^ Phillips, Phillips (June 14, 2006). "Sending A Message". Retrieved January 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Charen, Mona (February 25, 2005). "Is the Marine Corps P.C.?". townhall.com. Retrieved January 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  15. ^ Allied Command Transformation Public Affairs Office (September 9, 2009). "French general assumes command of Allied Command Transformation". United States Joint Forces Command. Retrieved September 10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |yearaccessed= ignored (help)
  16. ^ "Harrison Ford signs for Iraq war film". Guardian Unlimited. December 16, 2004. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
Bibliography
  • Reynolds, Nicholas E. (2005). ‘’Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond - The U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War.’’p. 5. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-717-4
Web

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