Michael Kurilla

U.S. Army general

Michael Kurilla

Kurilla in 2025

Birth name| Michael Erik Kurilla
Nickname(s)| Gorilla
Born|  (1966-05-16) 16 May 1966 (age 59)
California, U.S.
Allegiance| United States
Branch| United States Army
Years of service| 1988–2025
Rank| General
Commands| United States Central Command
XVIII Airborne Corps
82nd Airborne Division
75th Ranger Regiment
2nd Ranger Battalion
1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment
Battles / wars|

* Operation Just Cause
* Gulf War
* Operation Uphold Democracy
* Iraq War
* War in Afghanistan
* Operation Inherent Resolve
* Operation Prosperity Guardian
* Operation Midnight Hammer

Awards| Army Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star (5)
Purple Heart (2)
Alma mater|

* United States Military Academy (BS)
* Regis University (MBA)
* National War College (MA)

Michael Kurilla's voice

Kurilla's opening statement at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY2024 USCENTCOM posture
Recorded 16 March 2023

Michael Erik Kurilla (born 16 May 1966) is a retired United States Army general who had served as the 15th commander of United States Central Command from 2022 to 2025. He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps from 2019 to 2022 and before that as the chief of staff of Central Command from 2018 to 2019.

Kurilla was born in California and raised in Minnesota. He was commissioned in 1988 upon graduating from the United States Military Academy and has served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. During his career he has been deployed during conflicts in Panama, Haiti, the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and his notable commands have included the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. Kurilla was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with valor during the Iraq War.[1]

## Early life and education

[edit]

He was born in California on 16 May 1966[2] and raised in Elk River, Minnesota, Kurilla received a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the United States Military Academy, an MBA from Regis University, and a master's degree in national security studies from the National War College.[3] After graduating from West Point, he was commissioned into the United States Army as an infantry officer in 1988.[4]

## Army career

[edit]

During his early career, Kurilla participated in the United States invasion of Panama[5] and in the Gulf War, as well as Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and was part of the Kosovo Force and the Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3] From 2004 to 2014, he was stationed in the geographic area of responsibility of the U.S. Central Command,[3] deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.[5] In 2005, he deployed to Iraq as the commander of 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.[6] He was awarded a Bronze Star with "V" device after a battle in Mosul in which he "was shot three times but continued to fire back at insurgents while directing his troops."[6][7][8] Kurilla later commanded the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 75th Ranger Regiment.[3][5]

He was the assistant commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command from 2012 to 2014, deputy commanding general (maneuver) of 1st Infantry Division from 2014 to 2015, and deputy director for special operations and counter-terrorism of the Joint Staff from 2015 to 2016.[9] He served as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division from 2016 to 2018 and Chief of Staff of U.S. Central Command from 2018 to 2019.[9] He assumed command of the XVIII Airborne Corps in October 2019.[4] In early 2022, he deployed to Germany to oversee U.S. troop deployments in response to the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.[10]

### CENTCOM commander

[edit]

Gen. Kurilla is congratulated by his predecessor, Gen Frank McKenzie as he assumes command of CENTCOM on 1 April 2022.

In January 2022, he was nominated for promotion to four-star general and assignment as commander of U.S. Central Command.[11][6][12] Kurilla took up the post in April 2022.[3][13] As the CENTCOM commander since the start of the Middle Eastern crisis in 2023, Kurilla has provided the Biden and Trump administrations with military options and oversaw their implementation. General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time of his nomination, described Kurilla as the "perfect leader of CENTCOM" due to his knowledge and his experience in both combat and staff officer positions.[14]

In April 2024 he was dispatched to Israel in anticipation of an Iranian counter-attack following the 2024 Iranian consulate airstrike in Damascus by Israel on April 1, in which several Iranian military leaders were killed.[15] In September he again visited Israel for consultations with defence minister Yoav Gallant.[16]

As of November 2024, Kurilla was under investigation after shoving an airman upon being asked to take his seat and buckle up for his safety during a flight to Israel.[17]

General Michael Kurilla in 2025.

In early 2025, he was reportedly one of the two candidates considered by the second Trump administration to replace General Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but the position was given to Dan Caine.[18]

On 10 June 2025, during the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on its nuclear program, Kurilla said at a congressional hearing that he prepared a "wide range" of military options for President Donald Trump if negotiations fail.[19] Kurilla has called for a military response against Iran following the Iran–Israel war; his role in the conflict was considered to be unusually significant, with U.S. defence secretary Pete Hegseth seen as deferring to Kurilla during the conflict.[20][21]

On 8 August 2025, he was succeeded by Brad Cooper as commander of U.S. Central Command.[22]

## Personal life

[edit]

Kurilla and his wife Mary Paige have two daughters.[3]

## Service positions

[edit]

* 1988–2004: Served in a variety of command positions in various infantry battalions during which they participated in the Gulf War and the stabilization force in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* 2004–2005: Commander of the First Battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment, Iraq
* 2006–2008: Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment Second Battalion, Iraq and Afghanistan
* 2009–2011: Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment
* 2012–2014: Assistant Commander for Support of the Joint Special Operations Command
* 2014–2015: Deputy Commanding General of the First Infantry Division
* 2015–2016: Deputy Director for Special Operations and Counterterrorism of the Joint Staff
* 2016–2018: Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division
* 2018–2019: Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM)
* 2019–2022: Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps
* 2022–2025: CENTCOM Commander[23]

## Awards and decorations

[edit]

| Personal decorations

| Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
| Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

| Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
| Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and four oak leaf clusters

| Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal
| Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
| Joint Service Commendation Medal
| Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
| Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Unit awards
| Army Presidential Unit Citation
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award
| Valorous Unit Award
| Meritorious Unit Commendation
Campaign and service medals

| National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device and service star
| Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
| Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
| Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars

| Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with service star
| Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
| Korea Defense Service Medal
Service, training, and marksmanship awards
| Humanitarian Service Medal
| Army Service Ribbon
| Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 7
Foreign awards

| NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with service star
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
| Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) (Pakistan)[24]
| Other accoutrements

| Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)
| Ranger tab
| Master Parachutist Badge with one bronze jump star
| Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
| United States Central Command Badge
| 75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge
| French Parachutist Badge
| 75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
| 10 Overseas Service Bars

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael E. Kurilla.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States government.

1. ^ "Storied Iraq soldier recuperating". The Seattle Times. 26 August 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
2. ^ "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy". 1991.
3. ^ a b c d e f "Commander, General Michael E. Kurilla". United States Central Command. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
4. ^ a b "XVIII Airborne Corps hosts change of command, welcomes familiar Fort Bragg leader to the helm". www.army.mil.
5. ^ a b c "Battling terrorism in Afghanistan from over-the-horizon is 'extremely difficult,' says nominee to command CENTCOM". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
6. ^ a b c Myers, Meghan (7 January 2021). "XVIII Airborne Corps commander set to be next CENTCOM boss". Military Times.
7. ^ Cooper, Helene (7 January 2022). "Biden Nominates Combat Leader to Head Central Command" - via NYTimes.com.
8. ^ Yon, Michael (31 August 2005). "Gates of Fire". Michael Yon Online. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
9. ^ a b "General Michael E. Kurilla – General Officer Management Office". www.gomo.army.mil.
10. ^ "Biden's pick to lead military in Middle East says U.S. has a 'moral obligation' to help Afghans left behind". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
11. ^ "PN1606 — Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla — Army, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". U.S. Congress. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
12. ^ "General Officer Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
13. ^ "Webcast: CENTCOM Welcomes New Commander". DVIDS. 1 April 2022.
14. ^ Stancy, Diana (19 June 2025). "Kurilla warfare: Meet the general leading US military forces in the Middle East amid Iran conflict". Fox News.
15. ^ Vinograd, Cassandra, and Eric Schmitt (11 April 2024). "U.S. Sends a Top General to Israel Amid Fears of Iranian Strikes". New York Times. Retrieved 12 April 2024.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
16. ^ https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gallant-meets-visiting-centcom-chief-kurilla-on-middle-east-situation-cooperation/
17. ^ Bath, Alison (1 November 2024). "4-star Army general overseeing US operations in Middle East investigated over shove". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
18. ^ Schmitt, Eric (23 February 2025). "Trump's Frustration With Generals Resulted in an Unconventional Pick". New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025.
19. ^ Timotija, Filip (10 June 2025). "CENTCOM Commander gave Trump 'wide range' of military options if Iran talks fail". The Hill.
20. ^ Henderson, Cameron (19 June 2025). "The 'jacked gorilla' general pushing Trump to strike Iran". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
21. ^ Detsch, Jack; McLeary, Paul (19 June 2025). "Hegseth defers to general on Pentagon's plans for Iran". Politico. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
22. ^ "U.S. Central Command Bids Farewell to Gen. Kurilla, Welcomes New Leadership". United States Central Command. 8 August 2025. Archived from the original on 9 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
23. ^ "Israeli Defense Forces Biography of CENTCOM Commander, General Kurilla" (PDF).
24. ^ "President Zardari confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz on USCENTCOM Chief Gen Kurilla". The Express Tribune. 26 July 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Appearances on C-SPAN

Military offices

Preceded by

Richard D. Clarke

|  Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment
2009–2011  | Succeeded by

Mark W. Odom

Preceded by

Marshall B. Webb

|  Assistant Commanding General of Joint Special Operations Command
2012–2014  | Succeeded by

Timothy Szymanski

Preceded by

???

|  Deputy Commanding General (Maneuver) of the 1st Infantry Division
2014–2015  | Succeeded by

John S. Kolasheski

Preceded by

Scott A. Howell

|  Deputy Director for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism of the Joint Staff
2015–2016  | Succeeded by

Albert Elton

Preceded by

Richard D. Clarke

|  Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division
2016–2018  | Succeeded by

James Mingus

Preceded by

Terry R. Ferrell

|  Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command
2018–2019  | Succeeded by

Scott McKean

Preceded by

Paul LaCamera

|  Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps
2019–2022  | Succeeded by

Chris Donahue

Preceded by

Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.

|  Commander of United States Central Command
2022–2025  | Succeeded by

Charles B. Cooper II

U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by

Kevin E. Lunday

as acting Commandant of the Coast Guard |  Order of precedence of the United States
as Commander of U.S. Central Command | Succeeded by

Michael E. Langley

as Commander of U.S. Africa Command

* v
* t
* e

Senior officials in the United States Department of Defense

Secretary of Defense
Pete Hegseth

Deputy Secretary of Defense
Steve Feinberg

Secretaries of the military departments

Secretary of the Army: Daniel P. Driscoll
Secretary of the Navy: John Phelan
Secretary of the Air Force: Troy Meink

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Gen Dan Caine, USAF

Under secretaries of defense for

Acquisition and Sustainment: Steven J. Morani (acting)
Research and Engineering: Emil Michael
Policy: Elbridge Colby
Comptroller/Chief Financial Officer: Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell (acting)
Personnel and Readiness: Jules W. Hurst III (acting)
Intelligence: Dustin Gard-Weiss (acting)

Under secretaries of the military departments

Under Secretary of the Army: David R. Fitzgerald (acting)
Under Secretary of the Navy: Victor Minella (acting)
Under Secretary of the Air Force: Edwin Oshiba (acting)

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
ADM Christopher W. Grady, USN

Chiefs of the military services

Chief of Staff of the Army: GEN Randy A. George
Commandant of the Marine Corps: Gen Eric M. Smith
Chief of Naval Operations: ADM James W. Kilby (acting)
Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Gen David W. Allvin
Chief of Space Operations: Gen B. Chance Saltzman

Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Gen Steven S. Nordhaus, USAF

Unified Combatant Command commanders

Africa: Gen Michael E. Langley, USMC
Central: GEN Michael E. Kurilla, USA
Cyber: LTG William J. Hartman, USA (acting)
European: Gen Alexus G. Grynkewich, USAF
Indo-Pacific: ADM Samuel J. Paparo Jr., USN
Northern: Gen Gregory M. Guillot, USAF
Southern: ADM Alvin Holsey, USN
Space: Gen Stephen N. Whiting, USSF
Special Operations: GEN Bryan P. Fenton, USA
Strategic: Gen Anthony J. Cotton, USAF
Transportation: Gen Randall Reed, USAF

a \- Acting

* v
* t
* e

United States Regional Commanders

Africa
Gen Michael E. Langley

Central
GEN Michael E. Kurilla

European
Gen Alexus G. Grynkewich

Northern
Gen Gregory M. Guillot

Indo-Pacific
ADM Samuel J. Paparo Jr.

Southern
ADM Alvin Holsey

Space
Gen Stephen N. Whiting

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Commanders of United States Central Command

* Kingston
* Crist
* Schwarzkopf
* Hoar
* Peay
* Zinni
* Franks
* Abizaid
* Fallon
* Petraeus
* Mattis
* Austin
* Votel
* McKenzie
* Kurilla

Authority control databases: National |

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