MISSION FIRST: The Warrior Leader

Everyone has a role model. An older brother or sister, a parent, an actor or athlete, a teacher or coach are all examples of people who positively influence and motivate others to accomplish their own goals.

Gen. Lloyd James Austin III should be everyone's role model. A humble man with a decorated military career, Austin was born on Aug. 8, 1953, in Mobile, Ala., and raised in Thomasville, Ga.

"I was very fortunate to grow up in a loving home," Austin says. "My parents instilled in me and my brother and four sisters the value of hard work, integrity, self-discipline and respect for others. And, they did so not by simply telling us what was right, but by showing us through their examples. They always held themselves and us accountable for our actions.

"My siblings and I were also very fortunate to have great role models within our larger extended family. I attended West Point and joined the military, in part, because I was inspired by uncles, cousins and other relatives who served. Some of them fought in Vietnam and they'd come home from training or a year-long tour overseas, I looked up to them and admired them and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I knew as a young boy that I would serve in the military for some period of time."

Austin's influences were not limited to his family members, as he credits his high school coaches and teachers for leading by example and reinforcing in him that every individual can make a difference in the lives of others.

A football and basketball player in high school, Austin arrived at West Point as a Plebe in 1971, where he ended up competing as a two-sport athlete on the rugby and track and field teams.

"I actually tried out for the basketball team, but the coach (Dan Dougherty) had brought on 12 players and so there wasn't a spot for me," Austin states. "But then one day, the track coach, Army Sports Hall of Famer Carlton Crowell, overheard the basketball coach talking about me and he told him that he'd really like to have me come and join the track team because I could jump really high. And so, I became a triple-jumper and I had a great experience being a part of the team. Then, I got involved in rugby because some of the upperclassmen in my company played rugby and they recruited me to join them. I did well and also enjoyed being a part of that team."

Like his classmates, Austin attended West Point for a larger mission, one where he would learn to become a leader of character. He has since become a leader who is rightly in the company of a renowned group of West Point graduates, including Ulysses S. Grant, Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Before Austin joined their elite company, however, his first taste of leadership came during his Firstie year when he served as a cadet company commander.

"I enjoyed not only being able to lead my peers, but also lead and mentor the younger classes of cadets," Austin remembers. "It was my first real taste of Army leadership and I knew right away that I wanted to continue to pursue opportunities to command and lead troops."

Austin graduated as a second lieutenant in 1975 and was commissioned in the Infantry. He completed Airborne and Ranger schools prior to receiving his first assignment in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) as a rifle platoon leader and later as a scout platoon leader in 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry.

Austin moved on to Ft. Bragg, N.C., where he spent a majority of his career assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, serving as a commander at the company, battalion, brigade and division levels. He also served as the division operations officer or G3, becoming the first African-American to hold what many consider to be the premiere operations position in the United States Army. And, it was jobs like these that prepared Austin to eventually hold a number of the toughest positions in the military, and earn a well-deserved reputation as a battle-tested warrior and one of our nation's most gifted warfighters.

Austin continued his education and earned two master's degrees; one in Education from Auburn University and a second from Webster University in Business Management, in addition to being a graduate of the Army War College.

After completing his degree at Auburn, Austin returned to West Point where he was appointed as a company tactical officer.

His illustrious career continued and on Sept. 11, 2001, Brig. Gen. Austin was serving as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver (ADC-M) for the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) (Mechanized) at Ft. Stewart, Ga. He manned that post for more than two years following the attacks and played a critical role in the planning effort for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

As 3ID's ADC-M, Austin directed the division's invasion of Iraq in March 2003, leading the fight from the front, and traveling the 500 miles from Kuwait to Baghdad in his command and control vehicle. He became the first African-American in history to lead a division-size element in war. The division reached Baghdad and secured the city in just 21 days, and that expertly conducted operation showcased Austin's superior warfighting capabilities.
It wasn't simply the fact that he led; it was the manner in which he led his men and women that began to elevate Austin to the level of some of the greatest West Point graduates in our nation's history. Austin was awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest award for valor, for his actions during the Iraq invasion.

"He's one of the best troop leaders we have," Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo told the Washington Post. "He would never ask his soldiers to do anything he wouldn't do."

Austin entered the history books again when he became the first African-American to serve as a U.S. Army Division Commander in combat after being promoted to Major General. He commanded the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from 2003 to 2005, with duty as Commander, Combined Joint Task Force-180, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. Among his triumphs, Austin is one of a small group of General Officers to command in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In his next position, Austin served as Chief of Staff for Gen. John Abazaid at United States Central Command in Tampa, Fla. Their relationship started more than 30 years prior as Abazaid, a 1973 West Point graduate, directed Austin as his squad leader in Company G-1.

Abazaid served as a role model for Austin, who noted the company he was surrounded by daily at the Academy.

"Of course, when you're young and starting out in your career you're always hopeful that you will be successful. And, you occasionally dream of accomplishing big things, important things on behalf of your country. But, what you also gain at West Point, because you are in the company of such talented people, is a healthy dose of humility. Whereas you may occasionally dream of accomplishing big things, you learn to focus on the right things – and, that means taking care of your people, doing whatever tasks you're given as well as they can be done, being a team player, staying true to your values, and being a person of strong character. If you focus on those things, you're guaranteed to be successful in life and in your career."

Success followed Austin and in December 2006, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and he took command of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft. Bragg, N.C. Then, a little more than two years later, he became the second highest ranking commander in Iraq, taking command of Multi-National Corps-Iraq (MNC-I), replacing another West Point grad, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno (USMA '77). In doing so, Austin became the first African-American General Officer ever to command a corps in combat.

As commander of MNC-I, Austin was responsible for approximately 160,000 joint and coalition forces from more than 20 countries. During his tenure, he led positive change throughout Iraq, while effectively expanding partnering efforts with the Iraqi security forces. Indeed, it was during this tour that Austin demonstrated that he was not only one of our military's most adept warfighters, but also one of the most capable strategists. Austin assumed command of MNC-I just as the "surge" was ending and the number of U.S. troops in Iraq was significantly reduced. He masterfully directed the retrograde of forces while making sure that the remaining troops were able to successfully, and as safely as possible, conduct the same complex mission.

After Austin relinquished command of XVIII Airborne Corps, he assumed the position as Director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Then, a year later, in September 2010, he was promoted to the rank of General, becoming the Army's 200th four-star General Officer and the sixth African-American in the U.S. Army to achieve the top rank. He next became Commanding General of U.S. Forces Iraq (USF-I), and, in turn, became the first African-American in history to command an entire theater of war.

Just as he did in previous battlefield assignments, he shaped the outcome of the operation by expertly employing limited available resources. During Austin's tour, in the absence of a new Status of Forces Agreement, President Barack Obama made the decision to retrograde all U.S. forces out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Austin oversaw the entire operation, while ensuring that, as the U.S. footprint reduced in size, the remaining troops in country were well protected and able to to successfully conduct the mission.

In his next assignment, Austin served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (VCSA). He worked tirelessly to address various issues affecting U.S. service members, veterans and their families, to include post-traumatic stress and suicide.

Then, in March 2013, he assumed command of U.S. Central Command, responsible for 20 countries in the Middle East and South and Central Asia. Once again demonstrating that he is one of the greatest strategic thinkers and most adept warfighters of our time, Austin expertly oversees ongoing operations in Afghanistan (Operations Enduring Freedom/Resolute Support), Iraq and Syria (Operation Inherent Resolve). He also managed a variety of challenges associated with Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Lebanon, and other partner nations, all with the goal to move that strategically important region in the direction of increased stability and security.

Austin is one of history's most accomplished and inspirational leaders. Over the past 40-plus years, he's led troops in peacetime and in combat at the very highest levels, while successfully addressing some of the toughest tactical and operational problems internationally.

Although his accomplishments are lengthy, Austin has not taken the opportunity to look back and reflect.

"When you're wearing the uniform and you're leading America's sons and daughters, and particularly in combat, you are solely focused on taking care of the troops placed under your charge and doing everything in your power to place your team, your organization, your troops, your country in a position of advantage.

"Every day that I put on this uniform I ask myself two questions. The first is, 'Did I do the right things today?' And, the second, 'Did I do everything within the realm of the possible to take care of those individuals placed in my charge?' If the answer is, 'No' to either question—then, I make sure to do better the next day. And, I do that because I owe it to my troops. They look to me to lead them, and a big part of leading them is taking care of them."

Army West Point Athletics

MISSION FIRST: The Warrior Leader

Players Mentioned

Dan Dougherty

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