Michael L. Oates

Michael Oates is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General from San Antonio, Texas. He was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1979.

Military career
Lieutenant General Mike Oates was promoted to Lieutenant General on 30 Dec 2009 and assumed duties as Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). He retired from this assignment in March, 2011.

General Oates is from San Antonio, Texas. His wife Barbara is from San Angelo, Texas and they have 3 grown daughters; Katherine, Elizabeth and Margaret. LTG Oates’ previous assignment was as Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and Fort Drum and as Commanding General, Multi-National Division (SOUTH), in Iraq.

General Oates was commissioned as an infantry officer following his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1979. His initial duty assignments included service with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas and the 2d Battalion, 187th Infantry (Airborne), Republic of Panama. Subsequent tactical assignments included service with the 3d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and as Commander, 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. General Oates later commanded 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from 1998 to 2000 and commanded the 10th Mountain Division (Light) from 2007 to 2009.

General Oates’ non-tactical assignments include service as an Infantry Assignments Officer; Current Operations Officer in the J3, Joint Staff; Executive Officer to Honorable Tom White, Secretary of the Army; and as Chief of Staff to LTG Keith Kellogg, U.S. Army, Retired, the Chief Operations Officer, Coalition Provisional Authority, Baghdad, Iraq.

General Oates holds a masters degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of the Army’s Command and General Staff College. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), and Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters).