Bantz J. Craddock

Bantz J. Craddock
Bantz J. Craddock
Born	24 August 1949 (age 75); Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1971–2009
Rank	General
Commands	Supreme Allied Commander Europe; United States European Command; United States Southern Command; 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized); 7th Army Training Command; 194th Armored Brigade (Separate); 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment
Battles / wars	Gulf War Operation Desert Storm; Kosovo War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2); Army Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star; Defense Superior Service Medal (2); Legion of Merit (3); Bronze Star Medal; Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Gold (Germany)
Other work	MPRI, Inc.

Bantz John Craddock (born 24 August 1949)^[2] is a former United States Army general. His last military assignment was as Commander, United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from December 2006 to 30 June 2009. He also served as Commander, United States Southern Command from 9 November 2004 to December 2006. After his retirement in 2009, he became chief executive of Military Professional Resources, Inc. (MPRI).^[1]

Early life and education

Craddock was raised in Doddridge County, West Virginia. He graduated from Doddridge County High School in 1967.

Military career

First meeting between Craddock and Major General Valery Yevtukhovich (left) commander of Russian Forces in Kosovo at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, on 7 July 1999

Craddock was commissioned as an Armor officer in the United States Army upon graduation from West Virginia University. His initial tour of duty was with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany, followed by an assignment at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as an armor test officer for the United States Army Armor and Engineer Board. After completion of the Armor Officer Advanced Course, he was again assigned to the 3rd Armored Division, commanding a tank company in the 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment.

In September 1981, Craddock was reassigned to the Office of the Program Manager, Abrams Tank Systems in Warren, Michigan, as a Systems Analyst and later as Program Executive Officer. After graduation from the Command and General Staff College, Craddock joined the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany, serving as the Executive Officer of the 4th Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment for two years. He was subsequently reassigned to the Division Headquarters as the Deputy G3, Operations.

In May 1989, Craddock assumed command of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He commanded the Tuskers for 26 months, deploying as part of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Following command, Craddock was the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, Operations, for the 24th Division. Subsequently, he attended the United States Army War College, graduating in 1993. Craddock then assumed command of the 194th Armored Brigade (Separate) at Fort Knox. In June 1995, Craddock inactivated the brigade as part of the United States Army's post-cold war drawdown, and was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, for III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.

In 1996, Craddock was reassigned to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon as an Assistant Deputy Director in J5. In August 1998, he joined the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver. While serving in that capacity, Craddock was designated as Commander of United States Forces for the initial entry operation into Kosovo. In August 1999, Craddock was reassigned as the Commanding General of the 7th Army Training Command, United States Army Europe. In September 2000, Craddock assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) – the "Big Red One".

From August 2002 to 2004, Craddock served as the Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Craddock served as Combatant Commander of United States Southern Command from 2004 until 2006. On 14 July 2006, NATO announced that Craddock would succeed James L. Jones as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) — NATO's top commander of operations in Europe. The change-of-command ceremony at Mons, Belgium, occurred on December 7, 2006.^[3]

Controversy

Craddock defended the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp against criticism. While overseeing Guantanamo, he blocked attempts to get a commander of the camp reprimanded over abuse claims. Craddock insisted that the officer had done nothing wrong.^[4]

On 28 January 2009, Der Spiegel reported obtaining a classified NATO document in which Craddock ordered troops to kill drug traffickers and bomb narcotics laboratories in Afghanistan, even if there is no evidence that they are involved in terrorist activities.^[5]^[6]

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates' book Duty is very critical of Craddock in his role as Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Gates cites examples where Craddock did not want fellow United States Army generals, such as Stanley A. McChrystal, to attend coalition meetings with partner nations. At one point Craddock provided his unsolicited advice to Gates regarding who he thought should attend a senior coalition meeting. Gates then had to order Craddock to carry out the mission as instructed by him.^[vague] In the book, Gates goes on to opine that was the only time in his career in governmental service in which he had to "order" a general officer to carry out a specific task.^{[citation needed]}

Awards and decorations

	Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
	Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge
	SACEUR Badge
	24th Infantry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
	64th Armor Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

	Defense Distinguished Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
	Army Distinguished Service Medal
	Silver Star
	Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
	Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
	Bronze Star Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
	Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
	Army Achievement Medal
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
	Valorous Unit Award
	National Defense Service Medal (with two bronze service stars)
	Southwest Asia Service Medal (with two bronze service stars)
	Kosovo Campaign Medal (with two bronze service stars)
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Army Service Ribbon
	Overseas Service Ribbon (with award numeral 5)
	NATO Meritorious Service Medal
	NATO Medal for Yugoslavia with bronze service star
	Bundeswehr Gold Cross of Honor
	El Salvador Gold Medal for Distinguished Services^[7]
	Cross of Military Merit, First Class (Guatemala)
	Nicaraguan decoration (Unidentified)
	Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
	Estonian Order of the Cross of the Eagle First Class
	Canadian Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division)^[8]
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Additionally, Craddock has been honored of the following associations:

United States Armor Association — Order of Saint George
National Infantry Association — Order of Saint Maurice (United States) Legionnaire
Ordnance Association — Order of Samuel Sharpe, Honorary Kentucky Colonel
Honorary Texan, Artillery Association — Order of Saint Barbara

Personal life

A bridge in Doddridge County, West Virginia, on Route 50 was dedicated to Craddock in 2006.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government

^ ^a ^b "MPRI". MPRI. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
^ States, United (1 January 2007). Nominations before the Senate Armed Services Committee, second session ... – United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services — Google Boeken. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160790881. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
^ Guantanamo chief to become NATO top commander^{[dead link‍]}, Reuters, July 14, 2006
^ "Guantanamo general to head Nato". BBC. 14 July 2006. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
^ Koelbl, Susanne (28 January 2009). "NATO High Commander Issues Illegitimate Order to Kill". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
^ Gebauer, Matthias; Koelbl, Susanne (29 January 2009). "Order to Kill Angers German Politicians". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
^ "Salvadoran Government awards Medal to U.S. Southern Command Commander (September 05, 2006) | Embassy of the United States San Salvador, El Salvador". sansalvador.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
^ Canada Gazette

External links

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
United States European Command
"SACEUR General John Craddock". SHAPE Biographies. NATO. Archived from the original on 7 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2006.

Military offices
Preceded by John P. Abizaid	Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division 2000–2002	Succeeded by John Batiste
Preceded by Edmund P. Giambastiani	Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense 2002–2004	Succeeded by James G. Stavridis
Preceded by James T. Hill	Commander, United States Southern Command 2004–2006	Succeeded by James G. Stavridis
Preceded by James L. Jones	Commander, United States European Command 2006–2009	Succeeded by James G. Stavridis
Preceded by James L. Jones	Supreme Allied Commander Europe 2006–2009	Succeeded by James G. Stavridis