Joseph L. Votel is a Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....

 in the United States Army

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...

 and the former Special Operations Command

United States Special Operations Command

The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...

 Chief of Staff. In June 2011, Votel succeeded Admiral William McRaven as the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command.

Early career

Votel attended the United States Military Academy

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

 and was commissioned in 1980. He began his career as a Rifle Platoon Leader, later becoming the Executive Officer, A Company, later S-1 (Personnel), moving up to Commander, A Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army

United States Army Europe

United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and the land component of United States European Command. It is the largest American formation in Europe.-Invasion of Sicily:...

, Germany.

Other assignments include: Small Groups Tactics Instructor, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; Plans/Liaison Officer, later S-3 (Plans), 75th Ranger Regiment

75th Ranger Regiment (United States)

The 75th Ranger Regiment , also known as Rangers, is a Special Operations light infantry unit of the United States Army. The Regiment is headquartered in Fort Benning, Georgia with battalions in Fort Benning, Hunter Army Airfield and Joint Base Lewis-McChord...

, 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...

, Georgia, and Operation Just Cause, Panama; Staff Officer, Contingency Initiatives Branch, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy, Allied Forces Southern Europe, Naples, Italy and NATO Peace Implementation Force (IFOR)

IFOR

The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...

, Sarajevo; Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia, and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq.

General Officer

As a general officer, he served as Deputy Director, Joint IED Defeat Organization, Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington, DC. He also served as Deputy Commanding General (Operations), 82d Airborne Division/Deputy Commanding General (Operations), Combined Joint Task Force 76, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, and, most recently, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Education

His military schools include Infantry Officer Basic

Basic Officer Leaders Course

The Basic Officer Leaders Course is a two-phased training course designed to produce commissioned officers in the United States Army. It is a progressive model designed to produce American Army officers with leadership skills, small unit tactics and certain branch specific capabilities.- BOLC A...

 and Advanced Courses, United States Army Command and General Staff College

Command and General Staff College

The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...

, and the United States Army War College.

Awards and decorations

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (Army) The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...

Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...

Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...  with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Bronze Star Medal 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...  with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...

Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United States) The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...  with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Joint Service Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Army Commendation Medal

Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Combat Infantryman Badge Combat Infantryman Badge The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...  with Star (denoting 2nd award)

Expert Infantryman Badge Expert Infantryman Badge The Expert Infantryman Badge, or EIB, is a military badge of the United States Army. Although similar in name and appearance to the Combat Infantryman Badge , it is a completely different award: while the CIB is awarded for participation in ground combat, the EIB is presented for completion of a...

Master Parachutist Badge with 2 Bronze Stars Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...  (denoting 2 combat jumps)

Ranger Tab Ranger Tab The Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...