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Douglas Lute

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Lieutenant General
Douglas Lute
23rd United States Ambassador to NATO
In office
September 3, 2013 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byIvo H. Daalder
Succeeded byKay Bailey Hutchison
United States Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan
In office
May 15, 2007 – September 3, 2013
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born (1952-11-03) November 3, 1952 (age 72)
Michigan City, Indiana, U.S.
SpouseJane Holl
Alma materUnited States Military Academy (BS)
Harvard Kennedy School (MPA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1975–2010
Rank Lieutenant General
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal

Lt. Gen. Douglas Edward Lute (born November 3, 1952) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general and public servant who served as the United States permanent representative to NATO from 2013 to 2017. He was nominated for the post by President Obama on May 23, 2013, confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2013 via voice vote,[1] and assumed his position on September 3, 2013.[2]

On May 15, 2007, Lute was appointed by George W. Bush to serve as assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan. The New York Times referred to him as the "war czar," since he occupied a senior advisory position responsible for overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.[3] He was asked to stay on by new President Barack Obama as Obama's special assistant and senior coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan.[4] After leaving active duty in 2010,[5] Lute remained in his position on the National Security Staff. He is married to Jane Holl Lute, who was the deputy secretary of homeland security[6] from 2009 to 2013.

Education

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Lute was born in Michigan City, Indiana, on November 3, 1952. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1975. His first assignment was to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bindlach, Germany, where he commanded C Troop. He earned a MPA degree from Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University in 1983 and taught in the Department of Social Science at West Point.[7]

Second Cavalry

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Following attendance at the British Army Staff College, he returned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment as operations officer, serving both at the squadron and regimental levels. In 1990–91 he deployed and fought with the regiment in Operation Desert Storm, and later served on the staff of the chief of staff of the United States Army.[7]

Advancement

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Lute commanded 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry at Fort Hood, Texas, in 1992–94. He then served on the Joint Staff in the J-5 Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, and held a War College Fellowship at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.[8]

Lt. Gen. Lute and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Mark Kimmitt conduct a press briefing, February 9, 2007.

From 1998 to 2000 he commanded the Second Cavalry Regiment, part of XVIII Airborne Corps, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. In 2001, he was appointed brigadier general.[9] He served next as the executive assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for fourteen months before joining the 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany, as the assistant division commander (support).[10] He commanded Multinational Brigade East in Kosovo[11] for six months in 2002 before being assigned to United States European Command in January 2003 as the deputy director of operations.[10]

In June 2004, Lute began more than two years as director of operations (J-3) at United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), during which he oversaw combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa.[7] He was appointed to the rank of major general in 2004,[12] and to the rank of lieutenant general in 2006.[13] He assumed the duties of director of operations of the Pentagon's Joint Staff in September 2006.[14]

National Security Council

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On June 28, 2007, the Senate confirmed Lute to serve as the deputy national security advisor. He remained in the position after his retirement from active duty in 2010.[15]

On 10 August 2007, Lute stated that the United States should "consider" reinstating the military draft to relieve the "stressed" volunteer service from multiple tours of duty.[16] This was immediately followed by a comment that it would be a major policy shift and that he did not see a current need for a draft.[17]

Awards and decorations

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During his military career he received:[18]

Lobbying

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In January 2021, Lute joined BGR Group to chair its international and defense practices.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Douglas Lute confirmation". August 2013.
  2. ^ Press statement from the White House, Office of the Press Secretary, May 23, 2013
  3. ^ "Bush picks Gen. Lute to "war czar" for Iraq". Reuters. 15 May 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  4. ^ Cooper, Helene (2009-01-13). "War Czar for Bush to Keep His Job". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
  5. ^ "Ambassador Doug Lute – Keough School – University of Notre Dame". Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  6. ^ "Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute". Washington Post Politics. Archived from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  7. ^ a b c Tucker, Spencer C. (2010-10-08). The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts [5 volumes]: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781851099481.
  8. ^ "Former Commander MNB East Brigadier General Douglas E. Lute US, Army". nato.int. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  9. ^ "Flag and General Officer Announcements". DefenseLink. May 22, 2001. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  10. ^ a b FELLER, BEN (2007-05-15). "Bush Names Pentagon General 'War Czar'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  11. ^ "Douglas Lute". Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  12. ^ "Flag and General Officer Announcements". DefenseLink. October 29, 2004. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  13. ^ "General Officer Announcement". DefenseLink. July 19, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  14. ^ "Meet President Bush's new 'war czar'". SooToday.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  15. ^ "Obama may pick Lute for European command". The Washington Post. February 5, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  16. ^ "Iraq war czar: Consider a draft". Associated Press. August 10, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  17. ^ Liberal Lobby Lacks Context Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. FactCheck.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-01.
  18. ^ Riley.army.mil Archived July 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "BGR Group Enlists Retired General Lute". January 27, 2021.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to NATO
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
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