John F. Mulholland, Jr.

Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland, Jr. (born c. 1955) is the current Deputy Commander of United States Special Operations Command.

Early life
Born in Clovis, New Mexico, Mulholland grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. He graduated from Furman University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

Military career
Mulholland was commissioned into active duty as a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 1978 and was posted with the 193rd Infantry Brigade in the Panama Canal Zone. He was then moved into Special Forces after graduating the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, NC and joined the 5th Special Forces Group. He remained in the 5th Special Forces Group, where he served as ODA, Company, Battalion/Squadron and Group commander within the Special Forces. In 2001 at the beginning of the War on Terror Mulholland became commander of Task Force Dagger part of Joint Special Operations Task Force North during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. In August 2003, he was re-assigned to chief of the Office of Military Cooperation in Kuwait. Afterwards served as the commander of Coalition-Joint Task Force West and then Coalition-Joint Task Force-Arabian Peninsula during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was then promoted to commander of U.S. Army Special Forces Command from August 2005 until July 2006. From August 2006 until June 2007 he was the Deputy Commander of Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, NC. On June 22, 2007 he assumed command of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) at MacDill AFB, FL. He then served four years as the commander of United States Army Special Operations Command from November 7, 2008 until July 24, 2012.

Education

 * 1979 Bachelor of Arts degree, Furman University, Greenville, SC
 * 1991 Master of Military Art and Science degree, United States Army Command and General Staff College
 * 2001 Master of Science degree in national security and strategic studies, National War College

Date of Rank
Furman University ROTC Cadet – Class of 1979

Awards, Decorations, and Badges
He also awarded nineteen Silver Star Medals to members of the 3rd Special Forces Group as a result of an operation in Afghanistan. He is quoted as saying "“If you saw it in a movie, you’d shake your head and say it couldn't happen,” in reference to their actions.

In recognition of his distinguished service to his country, Mulholland received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2011.