Robert Harward
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Robert S. Harward, Jr. is a Navy SEAL
and the current deputy commander of United States Central Command
. He served as the deputy commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command
and previously commanded Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435
.
in Newport he was awarded a fleet appointment to the United States Naval Academy
and graduated in 1979. Harward is also a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff, the Naval Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Strategic Security Affairs, served as a federal executive fellow at RAND and is a graduate of the MIT Foreign Policy program.
. After completion of a South American deployment in support of Unitas XXIV, he was ordered to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDS)
training where he graduated as the honor man of Class 128.
As a Navy SEAL officer Harward was platoon commander of SEAL Team 3, an assault team leader and operations officer at Naval Special Warfare Development Group, the executive officer of Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 and then the commanding officer SEAL Team 3. Harward was later appointed Naval Special Warfare task group commander for Operation Desert Thunder
in Kuwait, Joint Special Operations task force commander for Operation Rugged Nautilus and deputy commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in support of Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia.
Harward assumed command of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 in August 2001 and deployed shortly after September 11, 2001, to Afghanistan. He commanded Task Force K-Bar
and directed special reconnaissance and direct action missions throughout the country. In October 2002, Harward deployed as commander, Task Force 561 where he commanded Naval Special Warfare Task Group Central in Iraq. His forces included all the assets in the Naval Special Warfare inventory as well as forces from the Polish GROM
, the United Kingdom Royal Marines and the Kuwaiti Navy
.
Harward reported to the Executive Office of the President at the White House in August 2003. He served in the National Security Council staff as the director of Strategy and Defense Issues. In April 2005, Harward was assigned to the newly formed National Counterterrorism Center
in Washington, as the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, representative to the Senior Interagency Strategy Team.
From June 2006 to July 2008, Harward served as the deputy commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., and has served multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. On Nov. 3, 2008, Harward assumed the position of Deputy Commander, United States Joint Forces Command.
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
Robert S. Harward, Jr. is a Navy SEAL
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
and the current deputy commander of United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
. He served as the deputy commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno...
and previously commanded Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435
Joint Task Force 435
Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 is a task force created to control detention operations for the United States Department of Defense in Afghanistan. It was established by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in September, 2009 to assume responsibility for U.S...
.
Early life and education
Harward was born in a Navy family in Newport, R.I. After graduation from the Naval Academy Preparatory SchoolNaval Academy Preparatory School
The Naval Academy Preparatory School, or NAPS is the preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. NAPS is located on a hill at Naval Station Newport, RI. The mission of the school is "To enhance Midshipman Candidates' moral, mental, and physical foundations to prepare them for success...
in Newport he was awarded a fleet appointment to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
and graduated in 1979. Harward is also a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff, the Naval Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Strategic Security Affairs, served as a federal executive fellow at RAND and is a graduate of the MIT Foreign Policy program.
Naval career
Harward reported to Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport with follow-on orders to the USS Scott (DDG-995)USS Scott (DDG-995)
USS Scott was a of the United States Navy. She was named for Rear Admiral Norman Scott, who was killed during a surface action at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal aboard USS Atlanta, winning a posthumous Medal of Honor for his actions.Originally named Nader, Scott was ordered by the Shah of...
. After completion of a South American deployment in support of Unitas XXIV, he was ordered to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDS)
United States Navy SEAL selection and training
The average United States Navy SEAL spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Special Warfare Operator Naval Rating and the Navy Enlisted Classification 5326 Combatant Swimmer or, in the case of commissioned naval officers, the designation Naval...
training where he graduated as the honor man of Class 128.
As a Navy SEAL officer Harward was platoon commander of SEAL Team 3, an assault team leader and operations officer at Naval Special Warfare Development Group, the executive officer of Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 and then the commanding officer SEAL Team 3. Harward was later appointed Naval Special Warfare task group commander for Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder
Operation Desert Thunder was a response to threats by Iraq's president Saddam Hussein to shoot down U-2 spy planes, and violate the no-fly zone set up over his country. The operation was designed to bring stability to the region by bringing in a military presence during the negotiations between...
in Kuwait, Joint Special Operations task force commander for Operation Rugged Nautilus and deputy commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in support of Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia.
Harward assumed command of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 in August 2001 and deployed shortly after September 11, 2001, to Afghanistan. He commanded Task Force K-Bar
Task Force K-Bar
Composed of the Special Forces from eight nations, Task Force K-Bar represented one of the first ground assault teams in the US-led invasion of Afghanistan from October 2001 until April 2002....
and directed special reconnaissance and direct action missions throughout the country. In October 2002, Harward deployed as commander, Task Force 561 where he commanded Naval Special Warfare Task Group Central in Iraq. His forces included all the assets in the Naval Special Warfare inventory as well as forces from the Polish GROM
GROM
GROM is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990...
, the United Kingdom Royal Marines and the Kuwaiti Navy
Kuwaiti Navy
The Kuwaiti navy, or Kuwait Naval Force , is the sea-based component of the Military of Kuwait. The headquarters and sole naval base is Ras al-Qulayah Naval Base, located in the south of Kuwait, approximately 35 miles south of Kuwait City...
.
Harward reported to the Executive Office of the President at the White House in August 2003. He served in the National Security Council staff as the director of Strategy and Defense Issues. In April 2005, Harward was assigned to the newly formed National Counterterrorism Center
National Counterterrorism Center
The National Counterterrorism Center is a United States government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts. It is based in a modern complex near McLean, Virginia called Liberty Crossing...
in Washington, as the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, representative to the Senior Interagency Strategy Team.
From June 2006 to July 2008, Harward served as the deputy commanding general, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., and has served multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. On Nov. 3, 2008, Harward assumed the position of Deputy Commander, United States Joint Forces Command.
Awards and decorations
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Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Superior Service MedalThe 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."...
with three bronze oak leaf clusterOak leaf clusterAn oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
s
Legion of Merit Legion of MeritThe 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...Bronze Star Bronze Star MedalThe 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 valor deviceValor deviceThe Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
and two gold award starAward starAn award star is a decoration issued to personnel of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in lieu of multiple awards of the same award. An award star is very similar to an oak leaf cluster, which serves the same purpose in the United States Army and United States Air Force...
sDefense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
with bronze oak leaf clusterMeritorious 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...Joint Service Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold award star Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Combat Action Ribbon Combat Action RibbonThe Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
with gold award starNavy Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze service star Service starA 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...Joint Meritorious Unit Award Joint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
with bronze oak leaf clusterNavy Unit Commendation Navy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
with one bronze service starNavy Meritorious Unit Commendation 
Fleet Marine Force Ribbon Fleet Marine Force RibbonCorrectly, the Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, is a decoration of the United States Navy established in 1984 by Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman, Jr. It was awarded to eligible Navy personnel serving with the Marines between 1984 and 2006...National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with bronze service starArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service MedalThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
with bronze service starAfghanistan Campaign Medal Afghanistan Campaign MedalThe Afghanistan Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Afghanistan Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
with three bronze service starsIraq Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign MedalThe Iraq Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
Armed Forces Service Medal Armed Forces Service MedalThe Armed Forces Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created on January 11, 1996 by President Bill Clinton under...
Humanitarian Service Medal Humanitarian Service MedalThe Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four bronze service stars Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Overseas Service RibbonAn Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
with two bronze service starsBundeswehr Silver Cross of Honor Badge of Honour of the BundeswehrThe Badge of Honour of the German Armed Forces is a series of military decorations of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany...NATO Medal for Yugoslavia Navy Expert Rifleman Medal Marksmanship MedalThe Marksmanship Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy and the Coast Guard and is the highest award one may receive for weapons qualification...Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal