Dana J.H. Pittard

Dana J.H. Pittard
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch  United States Army
Years of service 1981-2015
Rank Major general, (Ret.)
Battles/wars

Persian Gulf War

Iraq War

Awards Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star (2nd Award)
Bronze Star with valor device
Ranger Tab
Parachutist Badge
Air Assault Badge

Dana J.H. Pittard is a retired United States Army officer. He was Deputy Commanding General of Operations (DCG-O) for ARCENT, the US Central Command / Third Army, based in Kuwait, until 2015.[1][2] Pittard was appointed Joint Force Land Component Commander-Iraq,[3] in response to the June 2014 incursions into Iraq from Syria by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Daesh),[4] in the days post June 9, 2014.[5] Pittard was the Commanding General of 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He was also Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations & Training at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia and commanding general of the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California.[6]

Early life and education

Pittard graduated from the United States Military Academy, Armor Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advance Course, and the Command and General Staff College (CGSC). He holds a master's degree in Military Arts and Science from the United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He also has completed a National Security Fellowship at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. A graduate of Eastwood High School, El Paso, Texas.

Career

Pittard addressing soldiers of the First Armored Division, in a formation before a Post Run at Fort Bliss, on May 14, 2013.

Pittard received his commission as an Armor officer in 1981. His first operational assignment was with the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Riley, Kansas in 1982.[7] He served as a Tank Platoon Leader and Tank Company Executive Officer in 2-63 Armor; then as a Scout Platoon Leader and Battalion S1 in 3-37 Armor. In 1984, he served as an Admissions Officer at West Point; and in 1985 was assigned to Bad Kissingen, Germany, as the Squadron S4 for 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR).

In October 1986, Pittard commanded E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th ACR until May 1988. He next commanded Fox Company, 40th Armor (Berlin Brigade) from June 1988 until March 1990. In April 1990, he commanded D Company, 1-37 Armor at Vilseck, Germany, and led his unit in combat in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. Upon returning to Germany, he served as an Assistant S3 in 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. He next served at Fort Hood, Texas as the Assistant G3, Chief of Plans and Exercises for 2nd Armored Division; the S3 for 1-67 Armor; and then as the S3, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.

Pittard served as a Military Aide to President Bill Clinton from November 1996 until January 1999. In June 1999, he assumed command of 1-32 Armor/1-14 Cavalry at Fort Lewis, Washington as a part of the Army's first Stryker Brigade until June 2001. Pittard took command of 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in July 2002 and led the unit on deployments to Kosovo (2002–2003) and to Iraq (2004–2005). In July 2005, Pittard was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 24th Infantry Division later to transition to the 1st Infantry Division. In July 2006, he deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom where he assumed command of the Iraq Assistance Group, while still serving as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver of the 1st Infantry Division. He was the commander of Iraq Assistance Group in 2006 through June 30, 2007, and transferred command to Brigadier General James C. Yarbrough. On August 8, 2007, he assumed command of Fort Irwin, CA.[6] On December 18, 2008, Pittard announced his plans to leave Fort Irwin sometime in March 2009.[8] He became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Training at TRADOC in March 2009.

On July 9, 2010, General Pittard assumed command of Fort Bliss, Texas.

On May 24, 2013, Maj. General Pittard relinquished command to Maj. General Sean MacFarland. Pittard was then the Deputy Commanding General of Operations (DCG-O) for ARCENT til 2015.[1]

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) conducted Pittard's General Officer Retirement Ceremony on September 30, 2015, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Military District of Washington.[9]

Suicide prevention

During the period Pittard commanded the post, Fort Bliss earned the LivingWorks Community of Excellence Award for effective suicide prevention and intervention programs in July 2012.[10][11][12] According to Department of Defense statistics, Fort Bliss had the Army's lowest suicide rate in 2012 while Pittard was commanding general.[13][14]

Pittard was criticized for his personal blog statement that he was "personally fed up with soldiers who are choosing to take their own lives so that others can clean up their mess."[15] These comments, seen as self-centered and callous, were triggered by the suicide of a soldier in the presence of his two daughters.[16]

Awards and decorations

The Distinguished Service Medal,[9] the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star (2nd Award), the Bronze Star with valor device, the Meritorious Service Medal (6th Award), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), the Ranger Tab, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. He also wears the Order of St George, the Order of St Barbara, and the Order of the de Fleury Medal.

Criticism

Major General Pittard was formally reprimanded in February 2015 for steering a defense contract to a firm run by two of his former West Point classmates, after a three-year investigation by the U.S. Army Inspector General, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post, under the Freedom of Information Act. An Army review board considered whether to demote him before his retirement. Major General Pittard, long considered a rising star in the Army, was recalled to the United States, in April 2015, from his headquarters in Kuwait.[17]

Pittard maintains that he did not do "anything legally, morally, or ethically wrong." He told the El Paso Times that the charges against him were "unsubstantiated" during the investigation, but that the process had no mechanism for him to rebut the charges which were based on an anonymous tip.[1][18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Military.com, "General to Retire after 34 Years in Army" accessdate=2015-12-14
  2. ↑ David Burge, El Paso Times, 1 July 2013,
  3. ↑ Pittard tapped to lead Iraq mission
  4. ↑ Pentagon Briefing On Operation Inherent Resolve against Daesh, minute 1:20 / 32:56
  5. ↑ PBS News Hour, July 2, 2014 accessdate=2014-07-02
  6. 1 2 Gina Cavallaro (August 2007). "New commander for National Training Center". Army Times. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  7. ↑ General Pittard reminisces that Captain Humayun Khan later led the same platoon. Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: "I was Capt. Khan’s commander in Iraq. The Khan family is our family."
  8. ↑ Eunice Lee (December 2008). "Head of Fort Irwin announces imminent departure". Desert Dispatch. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  9. 1 2 General Officer Retirement Ceremony September 30, 2015 for Major General Pittard, with photos
  10. ↑ Robert Gray (August 2012). "Fewer suicides at Fort Bliss". El Paso, Inc. Newspaper. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  11. ↑ Marcie Wright (July 2012). "Team Bliss recognized for suicide prevention, intervention; numbers unmatched". Army.mil. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  12. ↑ Barbara Van Dahlen (October 2012). "A Visit With General Dana Pittard". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  13. ↑ Quil Lawrence (June 2013). "At A Texas Base, Battling Army's Top Threat: Suicide". NPR. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  14. ↑ Donna Miles (February 2013). "Army Post Sets Example in Curbing Suicides, Preventable Deaths". Armed Forces Press Service. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  15. ↑ http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/06/22/dana-pittard-army-central-west-point/29125415/
  16. ↑ Time article on Pittard
  17. ↑ http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/key-army-commander-accused-of-steering-defense-contract-to-former-classmates/ar-AAbV0Ru
  18. ↑ Paso Times, "Pittard to retire after 34 years in Army" accessdate=2016-03-28

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Major General John P. McLaren		 Iraq Assistance Group
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
Brigadier General James C. Yarbrough
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