Robert Harward

Vice Admiral Robert S. Harward, Jr. is a Navy SEAL and the current Deputy Commander of the 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.

Early life and education
Harward was born into a Navy family in Newport, Rhode Island. Harward graduated from Tehran American School in 1974. After graduation from the Naval Academy Preparatory School 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 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (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). After completion of a South American deployment in support of Unitas XXIV, he was ordered to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) 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 on 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, North Carolina, 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.

In 2011, Harward was reappointed to the rank of Vice Admiral and assigned to the position of Deputy Commander, United States Central Command.

Awards and decorations

 * US Navy SEALs insignia.png Special Warfare insignia
 * USN - Surface Warfare Officer.jpg Surface Warfare insignia
 * United States Navy Parachutist Badge.png Naval Parachutist insignia
 * Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
 * Logo of United States Central Command.png CENTCOM Staff Identification Badge
 * US - Presidential Service Badge.png Presidential Service Badge