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General JOHN CRADDOCK will be the new Commander 4 December 2006
Allied Command Operations (ACO) will hold a change of command ceremony on 7 December at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Casteau, Belgium. In the presence of His Excellency Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Secretary General of NATO, command of ACO will pass from U.S. Marine Corps General James L. Jones to U.S. Army General John Craddock. The Supreme Allied Commander Europe has a dual role as commander of ACO and U.S. European Command. Gen Craddock accepted command of USEUCOM during a ceremony held yesterday on Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. General Jones has served as SACEUR since January 17, 2003 and will be retiring after a 40-year career in the US Marine Corps. He previously served in a broad array of assignments including platoon and company command in Vietnam, command of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 2nd Marine Division and numerous staff assignments. In 1999, he became the 32nd Commandant of the US Marine Corps, the position he held until coming to SHAPE. General Craddock comes to SHAPE after commanding the US Southern Command in Miami, Florida since 2004. After joining the US Army, he initially served as an Armour Officer and occupied various staff and command positions, having deployed to Desert Storm and Desert Shield as Commander of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armour of the 24th Infantry Division. He also commanded the 194th Separate Armoured Brigade and eventually the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanised). Biographies : |
