John B. Sylvester
Encyclopedia
John B. Sylvester is a retired United States Army
Lieutenant General
and decorated veteran of the Vietnam
and Gulf War
s. He is best known for his command of the famed Tiger Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division attached to the 2nd Marine Division in the first Gulf War, and his three tours of duty in the Balkans
culminating as the commander of SFOR
. Sylvester was awarded the Silver Star
during Operation Desert Storm.
, but was raised in Texas
. He attended Texas A&M University
, graduating in 1967. He enlisted in the Army immediately afterward.
at Fort Benning
in 1968, Sylvester was sent to Armor Officer Basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was then assigned to 2nd Battalion, 13th Armor. In 1970, he was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam. While serving on combat duty in Vietnam, Sylvester was awarded the Bronze Star
.
After Vietnam, he rose through the ranks, serving in numerous assignments both stateside and abroad. In 1987 he graduated from the US Army War College. In 1994 he served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the ACE Rapid Reaction corps (ARRC) stationed at Rheindahlen
, Germany
and later deployed with the Corps during NATO's first combat deployment to Bosnia. He later served as Director of Operations, Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (today known as Joint Force Command Brunssum), based in The Netherlands.
In 1998 Sylvester was named as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations for NATO forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He held two senior tours with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command
(TRADOC) at Fort Monroe
, Virginia
, as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and later as the Chief of Staff. After his promotion to the three-star rank he deployed on his third tour to the Balkans as the NATO force Commander, COMSFOR. His final tour on active duty was as the Chief of Staff of the US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Following his retirement he accepted a position with MPRI, as a manager for several joint venture companies performing law enforcement work in support of the US Department of State and the Department of Justice.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
and decorated veteran of the Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
s. He is best known for his command of the famed Tiger Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division attached to the 2nd Marine Division in the first Gulf War, and his three tours of duty in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
culminating as the commander of SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
. Sylvester was awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
during Operation Desert Storm.
Early life
Sylvester was born at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, but was raised in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He attended Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, graduating in 1967. He enlisted in the Army immediately afterward.
Military career
Graduating from OCSOfficer Candidate School (U.S. Army)
The United States Army's Officer Candidate School , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, provides training to become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army...
at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
in 1968, Sylvester was sent to Armor Officer Basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was then assigned to 2nd Battalion, 13th Armor. In 1970, he was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam. While serving on combat duty in Vietnam, Sylvester was awarded the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
.
After Vietnam, he rose through the ranks, serving in numerous assignments both stateside and abroad. In 1987 he graduated from the US Army War College. In 1994 he served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the ACE Rapid Reaction corps (ARRC) stationed at Rheindahlen
Rheindahlen
Rheindahlen may refer to*RAF Rheindahlen*Rheindahlen Military Complex*Rheindahlen, Mönchengladbach...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and later deployed with the Corps during NATO's first combat deployment to Bosnia. He later served as Director of Operations, Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (today known as Joint Force Command Brunssum), based in The Netherlands.
In 1998 Sylvester was named as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations for NATO forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He held two senior tours with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command
United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Established 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of...
(TRADOC) at Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and later as the Chief of Staff. After his promotion to the three-star rank he deployed on his third tour to the Balkans as the NATO force Commander, COMSFOR. His final tour on active duty was as the Chief of Staff of the US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Following his retirement he accepted a position with MPRI, as a manager for several joint venture companies performing law enforcement work in support of the US Department of State and the Department of Justice.