Mulholland To Take Over As SOCOM Deputy Commander

Posted Jul 12, 2012 by Howard Altman

Updated Jul 12, 2012 at 07:21 AM

Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland Jr., who once ran U.S. Special Operation Command Central at MacDill Air Force Base, is headed back here.

The current commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command has been approved by the U.S. Senate to assume the No. 2 position at U.S. Special Operations Command, according to the Raleigh Telegram, which received the news in a media release from North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan.

Mulholland will serve as the deputy commander to Adm. William McRaven, who became the second SEAL to run the command last August when he took over from Adm Eric Olson, now retired.

Mulholland assumed command of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command November 7, 2008. Prior to commanding USASOC, Mulholland was commanding general of SOCCENT, according to his official bio.

Mulholland was born in Clovis, N.M., but grew up in Bethesda, Md. He graduated with a BA in history from Furman University, Greenville, S.C., in 1978, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. His first post was with the 193rd Infantry Brigade in the former Panama Canal Zone where he served as a rifle platoon leader, weapons platoon leader and company executive office in both 4th BN (Mech), 20th Infantry (Sykes Regulars) and Co. A (ABN), 3rd BN, 5th Infantry. He then moved to Fort Bragg, N.C., to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course. Upon graduation in September 1983, then-Captain Mulholland joined the 5th Special Forces Group (ABN), Project B-500.

Since joining Special Forces, Lt. Gen. Mulholland has commanded at the ODA, Company, Battalion/Squadron and Group levels within Special Forces. Additionally, he served in other special operations assignments including Special Operations Command South (Panama) as well as the operations officer at 1st SFOD-D (ABN). Then-Colonel Mulholland commanded Joint Special Operations Task Force-North (TF Dagger) in the opening days of Operation Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-West (TF Dagger) in the initial campaign of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He subsequently served as the Chief, Office of Military Cooperation-Kuwait, as Commanding General, United States Special Forces Command (ABN) and as Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command.

Lt. Gen. Mulholland earned a MMAS (History) while attending the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.