Carter F. Ham

Carter F. Ham, 2011.

Carter F. Ham (born February 16, 1952 in Portland , Oregon ) is a former general in the US Army ; He was most recently until April 5, 2013 commander of United States Africa Command , a Joint Military force overarching regional command of the United States Armed Forces .

Military career

Training and first uses

Carter F. Ham served as a minor infantry soldier in the 82nd Airborne Division prior to studying at John Carroll University in Cleveland , Ohio . In 1976 he graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and received his officer license as a second lieutenant in the infantry through the Reserve Officer Training Corps on June 2 . His first assignment was as a training officer in the 4th Basic Combat Training Brigade in Fort Knox , Kentucky , responsible for basic training for combat operations. From May 1977 to January 1978, Ham served in Italy as a section leader in the Combat Support Company of 1st Battalion , US 509th Infantry Regiment ( airmobile ), US Army Europe . In January 1978 he took over the duties of the leader of a platoon in Germany and was promoted to First Lieutenant in June 1978 . He then became Executive Officer of Company A , then an Air Operations Officer ( S-3 ) and later a Personnel Officer (S-1) of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd US Infantry Regiment, 4th US Infantry Division , 5th US Corps of the US Army Europe . In December 1979 Ham was transferred to the 8th US Infantry Division within US Army Europe in Germany , where he took over the post of company commander of C Company of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd US Infantry Regiment. In August 1980 he was promoted to captain and later served as the battalion's operations officer (S-3).

First commands

Back in the United States , Ham completed the advanced tank officer course at Fort Knox from July 1981 to February 1982. From February 1982 to February 1984, he served as the Lima Area Commander of the Columbus , Ohio Recruiting District Command . From March to September 1984, Ham served as the division commander of the Forward Military Support Element during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles , California . He then served from September 1984 to August 1986 as Assistant Inspector General at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin , California. Ham remained at the National Training Center for the next three years, serving from August 1986 to February 1987 as an Air Operations Officer (S-3) with the 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment. From February 1987 to May 1989 Ham served at Fort Irwin as an operations officer (S-3) and after his promotion to major as executive officer of the 1st Armored Infantry Battalion, 52nd US Infantry Regiment.

Brigadier General Ham (left) with General George W. Casey in Iraq, 2004

From August 1989 to June 1990, Ham studied at Naval Command and Staff College in Newport , Rhode Island , graduating with a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategy studies. From June 1990 to May 1993 he served as head of the light infantry division and later as head of the doctrine division . During Operation Desert Storm , Ham served as a senior brigade advisor for the Saudi Arabian National Guard . During this time he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on September 1, 1992 . Ham then served as the Executive Officer of the US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning , Georgia . Another foreign assignment followed as commander of the 1st Battalion of the 6th US Infantry Regiment, 3rd US Infantry Division , 7th US Army in Vilseck in Germany. During this use, he and his battalion also took part in Operation Able Sentry in Macedonia for 6 months . From June 1995 to July 1996 he was employed as Senior Task Force Observer / Controller of the operations group at the Combat Maneuver Training Center of the 7th US Army in Hohenfels in the Upper Palatinate .

Staff assignments

Ham at a press conference, 2005.

Ham returned to the United States in July 1996 and studied at Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , through June 1997 . From June 1997 to July 1999, Ham served again in Germany, this time as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) and later as Chief of Staff of the 1st US Infantry Division of the 7th US Army. During this time, he was also promoted to colonel on April 1, 1998 . In July 1999, he took over the post of Commanding Infantry Training and Support Brigade, 29th Infantry Regiment, US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning . From July 2001 through August 2003, Ham served as assistant director of force structure, resources and assessment (J-8) for US Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base , Florida . He then served from August 2003 to February 2005 as the Deputy Commanding General for Training and Readiness for the 1st US Corps and Fort Lewis Base , Washington . During this time he was promoted to Brigadier General on October 1, 2003 and also served since January 1, 2004 as commander of the Multi-National Brigade Northwest stationed in Mosul in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom . Back from Iraq, Ham served as the Assistant Director of Regional Operations (J-33) on the Joint Staff . On August 1, 2006, Ham took over as Major General of the 1st US Infantry Division in Fort Riley , Kansas .

On July 20, 2007, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates nominated Ham for Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff . This nomination was born on 3 August by the Armed Services Committee of the US Senate confirms therefore Ham took over on August 6, the through the promotion of Lieutenant General Douglas Lute vacant posts.

On July 11, 2008, Ham was nominated for the post of Commanding General of the 7th US Army / US Army Europe and was confirmed by the US Senate on July 23. John M. Paxton, Jr. was selected to succeed the Director of Operations (J-3) . On August 28, 2008 Ham was promoted to general and took command of the 7th US Army in Germany.

On March 9, 2011, he was given command of the United States Africa Command. He heads the US troops involved in the Libya mission .