Bantz J. Craddock

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Gene. Bantz J. Craddock

Bantz John Craddock (* 24. August 1949 in Parkersburg, West Virginia ) is a former general of the US Army and was until his retirement in July 2009 of 4 December 2006 at the 14th commander of the US European Command , with effect from 7 December 2006 also the 15th Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO .

Military career

Craddock was after graduating from West Virginia University to Second Lieutenant appointed the Armored Corps. His first assignment was within the 3rd Armored Division in Germany and his next assignment was in Fort Knox , Kentucky as a test officer for the US Army Armor and Engineer Board . After the extended training for tank officers, Craddock was deployed again in the 3rd US Tank Division, this time as the company commander of a tank company of the 1st Battalion of the 32nd US Tank Regiment .

In September 1981, Craddock was transferred to the Abrams Tank Systems Program Director's office in Warren , Michigan , where he served as a systems analyst and later as the first officer (XO). After graduating from Command and General Staff College , Craddock was transferred to the 8th US Infantry Division (mechanized) in Germany to serve there for two years as the first officer of the 4th Battalion of the 69th US Tank Regiment. He was then transferred to the divisional headquarters and served there as a deputy G-3 (operations officer).

In May 1989 he took command of the 4th Battalion of the 64th US Armored Regiment, 24th US Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Fort Stewart , Georgia . He held this command for 26 months and during this time took part in the Desert Shield / Storm operations. He was then reassigned to Division Headquarters and took on the post of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Operations), 24th US Infantry Division. He then attended the US Army War College and graduated in 1993. Now he was given command of the 194th separate tank brigade at Fort Knox. In June 1995 the brigade was disbanded and Craddock became Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Operations), III. US Corps in Fort Hood , Texas .

Brigadier General Craddock in Kosovo (June 1999)

In 1996, Craddock was transferred to the Department of Defense's Joint Staff , serving as Assistant Deputy Director J-5 (Strategy, Tactics and Plans). In August 1998 he was transferred to the 1st US Infantry Division (mechanized) in Germany to serve there as assistant division commander for maneuvers. During this time Craddock became the commander of the US troops for the introductory operations in the Kosovo war . In August 1999 he became Commanding General of the 7th Army Training Command . In September 2000, Craddock was finally commander of the 1st US Infantry Division (mechanized). After that he served from August 2002 to July 2004 Senior Military Assistant of the US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld . On November 9, 2004, he took command of the US Southern Command.

Craddock at the handover of command of USEUCOM in Stuttgart, 2006

On July 14, 2006, NATO announced that Craddock would succeed General James L. Jones to the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), NATO's commander-in-chief, after serving with the US Southern Command . This nomination was confirmed by the US Senate on September 29, 2006 . On October 19, 2006, Craddock handed over command of the US Southern Command to Admiral James G. Stavridis and took over command of the US European Command in the Patch Barracks in Stuttgart on December 4, 2006 . Three days later, on December 7th, 2006, he took command as the 15th Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

After Barack Obama's assumption of government as US President in January 2009, top positions in the US armed forces were gradually filled, including Craddock's positions as commander of EUCOM and SACEUR of NATO. Craddock handed over command of EUCOM on June 30, 2009 to Admiral James G. Stavridis, who had already replaced him at SOUTHCOM. Two days later, on July 2, 2009, Craddock finally handed over the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO to Stavridis and retired.

criticism

With the assumption of command of the US Southern Command, Craddock was also responsible for the operations in the Guantánamo prison camp . He justified the torture methods used there and publicly joked about the force-feeding of hunger-striking internees. For these reasons, many European politicians and military officials are skeptical of the appointment of Craddock as NATO commander in chief.

End of January 2009 reported Spiegel Online that Craddock intend in the fight against drug trafficking and targeted killings of opium dealers perform, even if there is no evidence that this is in armed uprisings against the government or NATO forces involved. The recipients of the letter, the two direct subordinate generals, the German general and commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum Egon Ramms , and the US commander of the ISAF protection force in Kabul, General David D. McKiernan , protested against this plan and resigned not to obey the order, as they see in it a violation of the ISAF rules of engagement and the international law of war . Cross-party German politicians reacted in horror at this possible realignment of the mission, which would also turn those involved in the drug business into legitimate targets of so-called capture or kill missions. The Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta also criticized the discussed killing of “ordinary criminals” . Craddock himself protested against the allegations: "I have not issued any orders or instructions that are illegal." On January 30, he gave in to criticism from politicians and the military and changed his instructions. As a NATO spokesman announced, the ISAF troops have since been allowed to take action against drug traffickers if they support terrorists. This corresponded to the already common practice in the Hindu Kush. As a result of this controversy, there was speculation in military circles about an early replacement of Craddocks.

Awards

Craddock has a Masters degree in Defense Science.

Selection of decorations, sorted based on the Order of Precedence of Military Awards :

Web links

Commons : Bantz J. Craddock  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Nomination of General Bantz J. Craddock, US Army, to succeed General James L. Jones as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe - NATO press release of July 14, 2006.
  2. ↑ Supreme Allied Command Europe changes hands ( Memento from December 10, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  3. ↑ "Guantanamo General" becomes NATO Commander-in-Chief (tagesschau.de archive) tagesschau.de on December 7, 2006
  4. ↑ Susanne Koelbl : " NATO Commander-in-Chief Issues Unlawful Killing Order ", Spiegel Online, January 28, 2009
  5. ^ Matthias Gebauer and Susanne Koelbl: Killing order horrifies German politicians , Spiegel Online, January 29, 2009
  6. ↑ NATO commander-in-chief denies media reports - AFP report from February 3, 2009
  7. ↑ Susanne Koelbl: NATO Commander-in-Chief maneuvers himself into the end , Spiegel Online, February 5, 2009
predecessor Office successor
James L. Jones Supreme Allied Commander Europe
2006–2009 		James G. Stavridis
personal data
SURNAME Craddock, Bantz J.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Craddock, Bantz John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American general
DATE OF BIRTH August 24, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Parkersburg, West Virginia