The change of command ceremony for the U.S. Marine Corps (from General Amos to General Dunford) took place at 10 a.m. at the Marine Barracks in Washington on October 17th, 2014. Senator Leahy was in attendance. He has known General Dunford for a long time and is a fellow alumnus of St. Michael’s College. Leahy also now is President Pro Tem and the most senior member of the Defense Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, which handles the Senate’s work in writing the Defense Department’s annual budget bills.
General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. was confirmed as the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps on July 23, 2014. Prior to his nomination, he served as Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces-Afghanistan since Februrary 2013. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he graduated from St. Michael’s College and was commissioned in 1977. He previously served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from October 2010 to December 2012.
General Dunford has served as an infantry officer at all levels. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he commanded the 5th Marine Regiment.
His joint assignments include service as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman, JCS and Chief, Global and Multilateral Affairs Division (J5).
As a general officer, he has also served as the Assistant Division Commander, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Director of Operations, Vice Director for Operations on the Joint Staff, and the Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations. He commanded I Marine Expeditionary Force and served as the Commander, Marine Forces U.S. Central Command.
General Dunford is a graduate of the U. S. Army Ranger School, Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, and the U. S. Army War College. He holds an M.A. in Government from Georgetown University and an M.A. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.