Richard F. Natonski

LtGen. Natonski

Richard F. Natonski is a former Lieutenant General in the US Marine Corps . from August 2008 to September 2010 he was the commanding officer of the US Marine Corps Forces Command , the Marine Corps component of the US Joint Forces Command , in Norfolk , Virginia . He is thus at the same time commander of the US Marine Corps Bases Atlantic and commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic . Prior to that, he was Deputy Commandant for Planning, Strategy and Operations from November 7, 2006 to August 2008 . From 2004 to 2006 he was the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division while it was deployed in the Iraq war .

Military career

Natonski graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1973 , received his officer's license, and became a second lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. Having then a year later, in 1974, the Basic School had graduated, he became a platoon commander (about dt. Platoon leader and) Executive Officer (XO) of the H Company , 2nd Battalion used the 4th US Marine Regiment. With this unit he then took part in two peaceful evacuation operations in Cambodia ( Operation Eagle Pull ) and South Vietnam ( Operation Frequent Wind ).

In July 1975 Natonski was transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego , where he served as company commander of the A Company of the 1st Recruit Training Battalion and at the same time as the battalion's operations officer. In April 1978, he was already promoted to captain , transferred to Marine Barracks 8th and I in Washington, DC , where he was employed as first officer and later as commanding officer of B Company.

After his assignment in Washington (DC) Natonski was employed as platoon commander at the Officer Candidate School in the summer of 1981 , after which he himself completed the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico , Virginia . In July 1982 he was transferred to Camp Pendleton , California , and served as an operations officer in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. After serving at Camp Pendleton, Major Natonski was transferred to the US Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington (DC) in July 1984, where he served in the Department's Ground Combat Development Department for plans, strategies and operations. From 1987 to 1988 he graduated from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico.

After graduating, he was deployed as an observer for the UN mission in the Middle East . In June 1989 he was transferred to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Cherry Point, North Carolina , where he served as a planning officer (G-3).

In July 1991 served Lieutenant Colonel Natonski in the 2nd Marine Division , where he was employed as first officer of the 2nd US Marine Regiment, until he finally in May 1992 took over the command of the 1st Battalion of the regiment. As a commanding officer, he took part in Operation GTMO, which provided humanitarian aid to Haitian refugees in Cuba, and in Operation Restore Hope and Continue Hope in Somalia . He finished his assignment in the division as assistant planning officer (G-3).

MajGen. Natonski

From 1994 to 1995 he attended the NATO Defense College in Rome . Colonel Natonski then served in the Operations Department of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) until he took command of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in October 1995 . He was the commander of the 24th MEU during missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kuwait . In May 1998 he was promoted to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States Department of Defense , where he served as Commander of the CENTCOM Division in the Joint Staff (J-3) Directorate of Operations and was thereafter as Deputy Director of Operations in the National Military Command Center used.

Thereafter, Brigadier General Natonski first inserted headquarters as director of strategy and planning department and then as director of the Operations Division of the Planning, Strategy and Operations Department of the Marine Corps.

Natonski with Lieutenant General David D. McKiernan , 2003.

In June 2002 he took over again a field command over parts of the 2nd US Marine Division , the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). From January to June 2003, the 2nd MEB was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . During this operation, the 2nd MEB was regrouped as Task Force Tarawa and deployed as a ground combat component of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).

On August 20, 2004, Natonski took over as Major General and Commanding General of the 1st US Marine Division while it was deployed in Iraq. He now led the I MEF's ground combat element against popular uprisings in Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury and the 2005 parliamentary elections.

On June 12, 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Natonski for promotion to lieutenant general and assistant assistant commandant for planning, strategy, and operations. He took up his new post in September 2006 and was promoted to Lieutenant General in November.

On March 13, 2008, Natonski was nominated for the post of Commanding Officer of US Marine Corps Forces Command , the Marine Corps component of US Joint Forces Command , in Norfolk , Virginia . He replaced Joseph F. Weber in August 2008 on this post. He is thus at the same time commander of the US Marine Corps Bases Atlantic and commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic .

He retired on September 8th.