Gary L. Harrell: Difference between revisions

Gary L. Harrell
Gary L. Harrell
	Gary L. Harrell
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1973–2008
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Delta Force; Special Forces Task Force Bowie; Assistant Division Commander for the 10th Mountain Division; Deputy Commanding General of the Army Special Operations Command; Commanding General, SOCCENT;
Battles/wars	the Operation Urgent Fury; Operation Just Cause; Operation Acid Gambit; Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Battle of Mogadishu; Iraq War; War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Army Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal (2)

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Major General Gary L. Harrell is a retired United States Army general. He has participated in numerous combat operations, such as; Operation Just Cause in 1989, Battle of Mogadishu 1993, and since 2001 the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Military career

Harrell earned his commission as an Infantry officer through East Tennessee State University's Army ROTC program in 1973 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as a Rifle platoon leader and AS Anti-Tank platoon leader. In 1977, after completing the Special Forces Qualification Course, he was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group. In 1980 Harrell served as a company commander in the 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Harrell participated in the invasion of Grenada and afterwards served with the 10th Special Forces Group. In 1985 Harrell completed a specialized selection course and was assigned to the prestigious 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, publicly known as Delta Force at Fort Bragg where he served as Troop Commander and participated in Operation Just Cause. Later on Harrell was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command as operations officer and participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.^[1]

In 1992, he returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and took command of a Squadron of Delta Force and participated in combat operations during Battle of Mogadishu. In October 1993 he was severely wounded by enemy mortar fire. After graduating from the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in June 1995, Harrell was assigned as the Deputy Commander of Delta Force and commanded the unit from July 1998 to July 2000.^[2] Afterwords he was appointed as the Director, Joint Security Directorate, U.S. Central Command from 2000 to 2002. During the Afghanistan he commanded Special Forces Task Force Bowie and was the Assistant Division Commander for the 10th Mountain Division during Operation Anaconda. From 2003 to 2005 Harrell was assigned as commanding general, Special Operations Command Central. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Harrell commanded a special operations forces that were responsible for combat operations to prevent Scud missiles from being launched from Western Iraq and for stability operations in Northern Iraq. His last served as the Deputy Commanding General of the Army Special Operations Command. He retired in 2008.

Awards and decorations

	Combat Infantryman Badge
	Master Combat Parachutist Badge with one bronze jump star
	Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge with Special Operations Command Central background trimming
	Pathfinder Badge
	Special Operations Diver Badge
	Special Forces Tab
	Ranger tab
	Canadian Jump Wings (non-operational)
	Unidentified Combat Service Identification Badge
	Special Forces Distinctive Unit Insignia
	? Overseas Service Bars

	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
	Army Distinguished Service Medal
	Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and oak leaf cluster
	Purple Heart
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Air Medal
	Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Joint Service Achievement Medal
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
	Valorous Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
	National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device and service star
	Southwest Asia Service Medal with service star
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Humanitarian Service Medal
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon
	NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia
	Multinational Force and Observers Medal
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

References

^ MG Gary Harrell, .Task Force Dagger Foundation.
^ Sean Naylor, SEAL Team 6 and a Man Left for Dead: A Grainy Picture of Valor, The New York Times, August 27, 2016.

Boykin, William G., and Lynn Vincent. Never Surrender: a Soldier's Journey to the Crossroads of Faith and Freedom. Faith Words, 2011. ISBN 978-0446583220
Tucker, Spencer. The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: the United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO, 2010. ISBN 978-1851099474

[1] MG Gary Harrell, .Task Force Dagger Foundation.

[2] Sean Naylor, SEAL Team 6 and a Man Left for Dead: A Grainy Picture of Valor, The New York Times, August 27, 2016.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 |unit=
 |commands= [[Delta Force]]<br/>Special Forces Task Force Bowie<br/>Assistant Division Commander for the [[10th Mountain Division]]<br/>Deputy Commanding General of the [[United States Army Special Operations Command|Army Special Operations Command]]<br>Commanding General, [[SOCCENT]]<br>
-|battles= the [[Operation Urgent Fury]]<br/>[[Operation Just Cause]]<br/>[[Operation Acid Gambit]]<br/>[[Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm]]<br/>[[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]<br/>[[Iraq War]]<br/>[[War in Afghanistan (2001-present)|War in Afghanistan]]
+|battles= the [[Operation Urgent Fury]]<br/>[[Operation Just Cause]]<br/>[[Operation Acid Gambit]]<br/>[[Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm]]<br/>[[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]<br/>[[Iraq War]]<br/>[[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]]
 |awards= [[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Army Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Defense Superior Service Medal]] (2)
 |relations=
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 }}
-[[Major General (United States)|Major General]] '''Gary L. Harrell''' is a retired [[United States Army]] [[General officer|general]]. He has participated in numerous combat operations, such as; [[Operation Just Cause]] in 1989, [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]] 1993, and since 2001 the wars in [[Iraq War|Iraq]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001-present)|Afghanistan]].
+[[Major General (United States)|Major General]] '''Gary L. Harrell''' is a retired [[United States Army]] [[General officer|general]]. He has participated in numerous combat operations, such as; [[Operation Just Cause]] in 1989, [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]] 1993, and since 2001 the wars in [[Iraq War|Iraq]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]].
 ==Military career==
 Harrell earned his [[Officer (armed forces)|commission]] as an [[Infantry Branch (United States)|Infantry]] officer through [[East Tennessee State University]]'s Army [[ROTC]] program in 1973 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, [[508th Infantry Regiment (United States)|508th Infantry Regiment]], [[82nd Airborne Division]], as a Rifle [[platoon leader]] and AS [[Anti-tank warfare|Anti-Tank]] platoon leader. In 1977, after completing the [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Special Forces]] Qualification Course, he was assigned to the [[7th Special Forces Group (United States)|7th Special Forces Group]]. In 1980 Harrell served as a [[company commander]] in the 1st Battalion, [[505th Infantry Regiment (United States)|505th Infantry Regiment]], 82nd Airborne Division. Harrell participated in the [[invasion of Grenada]] and afterwards served with the [[10th Special Forces Group (United States)|10th Special Forces Group]]. In 1985 Harrell completed a specialized selection course and was assigned to the prestigious 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, publicly known as [[Delta Force]] at [[Fort Bragg, North Carolina|Fort Bragg]] where he served as Troop Commander and participated in [[Operation Just Cause]]. Later on Harrell was assigned to the [[Joint Special Operations Command]] as operations officer and participated in [[Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm]].<ref>[https://www.taskforcedagger.org/mg-gary-harrell MG Gary Harrell], .Task Force Dagger Foundation.</ref>
-In 1992, he returned to [[Fort Bragg, North Carolina|Fort Bragg]], [[North Carolina]] and took command of a Squadron of Delta Force and participated in combat operations during [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]. In October 1993 he was severely wounded by enemy mortar fire. After graduating from the [[United States Army War College]], [[Carlisle Barracks]], [[Pennsylvania]] in June 1995, Harrell was assigned as the Deputy Commander of [[Delta Force]] and commanded the unit from July 1998 to July 2000.<ref>[[Sean Naylor]], [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/world/asia/seal-team-6-afghanistan-man-left-for-dead.html SEAL Team 6 and a Man Left for Dead: A Grainy Picture of Valor], [[The New York Times]], August 27, 2016.</ref>  Afterwords he was appointed as the Director, Joint Security Directorate, [[U.S. Central Command]] from 2000 to 2002. During the [[War in Afghanistan (2001-present)|Afghanistan]] he commanded  Special Forces Task Force Bowie and was the Assistant Division Commander for the [[10th Mountain Division]] during [[Operation Anaconda]]. From 2003 to 2005 Harrell was assigned as commanding general, [[Special Operations Command Central]]. During [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], Harrell commanded a special operations forces that were responsible for combat operations to prevent [[Scud]] missiles from being launched from Western Iraq and for stability operations in Northern Iraq. His last served as the Deputy Commanding General of the [[United States Army Special Operations Command|Army Special Operations Command]]. He retired in 2008.
+In 1992, he returned to [[Fort Bragg, North Carolina|Fort Bragg]], [[North Carolina]] and took command of a Squadron of Delta Force and participated in combat operations during [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]]. In October 1993 he was severely wounded by enemy mortar fire. After graduating from the [[United States Army War College]], [[Carlisle Barracks]], [[Pennsylvania]] in June 1995, Harrell was assigned as the Deputy Commander of [[Delta Force]] and commanded the unit from July 1998 to July 2000.<ref>[[Sean Naylor]], [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/world/asia/seal-team-6-afghanistan-man-left-for-dead.html SEAL Team 6 and a Man Left for Dead: A Grainy Picture of Valor], [[The New York Times]], August 27, 2016.</ref>  Afterwords he was appointed as the Director, Joint Security Directorate, [[U.S. Central Command]] from 2000 to 2002. During the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]] he commanded  Special Forces Task Force Bowie and was the Assistant Division Commander for the [[10th Mountain Division]] during [[Operation Anaconda]]. From 2003 to 2005 Harrell was assigned as commanding general, [[Special Operations Command Central]]. During [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], Harrell commanded a special operations forces that were responsible for combat operations to prevent [[Scud]] missiles from being launched from Western Iraq and for stability operations in Northern Iraq. His last served as the Deputy Commanding General of the [[United States Army Special Operations Command|Army Special Operations Command]]. He retired in 2008.
 ==Awards and decorations==