Douglas Lute

American retired general
Lieutenant General
Douglas Lute
21st United States Ambassador to NATO
In office
September 3, 2013 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byIvo Daalder
Succeeded byKay Bailey Hutchison
United States Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan
In office
May 15, 2007 – September 3, 2013
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born (1952-11-03) November 3, 1952 (age 71)
Michigan City, Indiana, U.S.
SpouseJane Holl
Alma materUnited States Military Academy (BS)
Harvard Kennedy School (MPA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1975–2010
Rank Lieutenant General
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal

Lt. Gen. Douglas Edward Lute (born November 3, 1952) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general and public servant who served as the United States permanent representative to NATO from 2013 to 2017. He was nominated for the post by President Obama on May 23, 2013, confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2013 by voice vote,[1] and assumed his position on September 3, 2013.[2]

On May 15, 2007, Lute was appointed by George W. Bush to serve as assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan. The New York Times referred to him as the "War Czar," since he occupied a senior advisory position responsible for overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.[3] He was asked to stay on by new President Barack Obama as Obama's special assistant and senior coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan.[4] After leaving active duty in 2010,[5] Lute remained in his position on the National Security Staff. He is married to Jane Holl Lute, who was the deputy secretary of homeland security[6] from 2009 to 2013.

Education

Lute was born in Michigan City, Indiana, on November 3, 1952. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1975. His first assignment was to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bindlach, Germany, where he commanded C Troop. He earned a MPA degree from Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University in 1983 and taught in the Department of Social Science at West Point.[7]

Second Cavalry

Following attendance at the British Army Staff College, he returned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment as operations officer, serving both at the squadron and regimental levels. In 1990–91 he deployed and fought with the regiment in Operation Desert Storm, and later served on the staff of the chief of staff of the United States Army.[7]

Advancement

Lute commanded 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry at Fort Hood, Texas, in 1992–94. He then served on the Joint Staff in the J-5 Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, and held a War College Fellowship at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.[8]

Lt. Gen. Lute and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Mark Kimmitt conduct a press briefing, February 9, 2007.

From 1998 to 2000 he commanded the Second Cavalry Regiment, part of XVIII Airborne Corps, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. In 2001, he was appointed brigadier general.[9] He served next as the executive assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for 14 months before joining the 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany, as the Assistant Division Commander (Support).[10] He commanded Multinational Brigade East in Kosovo[11] for six months in 2002 before being assigned to United States European Command in January 2003 as the deputy director of operations.[10]

In June 2004, Lute began more than two years as director of operations (J-3) at United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), during which he oversaw combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa.[7] He was appointed to the rank of major general in 2004,[12] and to the rank of lieutenant general in 2006.[13] He assumed the duties of director of operations of the Pentagon's Joint Staff in September 2006.[14]

National Security Council

On June 28, 2007, the Senate confirmed Lute to serve as the deputy national security advisor. He remained in the position after his retirement from active duty in 2010.[15]

On 10 August 2007, Lute stated that the United States should "consider" reinstating the military draft to relieve the "stressed" volunteer service from multiple tours of duty.[16] This was immediately followed by a comment that it would be a major policy shift and that he did not see a current need for a draft.[17]

Awards and decorations

During his military career he received:[18]

Lobbying

In January 2021, Lute joined BGR Group to chair its international and defense practices.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Douglas Lute confirmation". August 2013.
  2. ^ Press statement from the White House, Office of the Press Secretary, May 23, 2013
  3. ^ "Bush picks Gen. Lute to "war czar" for Iraq". Reuters. 15 May 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  4. ^ Cooper, Helene (2009-01-13). "War Czar for Bush to Keep His Job". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
  5. ^ "Ambassador Doug Lute – Keough School – University of Notre Dame". Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  6. ^ "Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute". Washington Post Politics. Archived from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  7. ^ a b c Tucker, Spencer C. (2010-10-08). The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts [5 volumes]: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781851099481.
  8. ^ "Former Commander MNB East Brigadier General Douglas E. Lute US, Army". nato.int. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  9. ^ "Flag and General Officer Announcements". DefenseLink. May 22, 2001. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  10. ^ a b FELLER, BEN (2007-05-15). "Bush Names Pentagon General 'War Czar'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  11. ^ "Douglas Lute". Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  12. ^ "Flag and General Officer Announcements". DefenseLink. October 29, 2004. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  13. ^ "General Officer Announcement". DefenseLink. July 19, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  14. ^ "Meet President Bush's new 'war czar'". SooToday.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  15. ^ "Obama may pick Lute for European command". The Washington Post. February 5, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  16. ^ "Iraq war czar: Consider a draft". Associated Press. August 10, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  17. ^ Liberal Lobby Lacks Context Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. FactCheck.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-01.
  18. ^ Riley.army.mil Archived July 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "BGR Group Enlists Retired General Lute". January 27, 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas E. Lute.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Douglas Lute.
  • Text adapted from public domain Joint Chiefs of Staff biography
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to NATO
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
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Secretary of State John Kerry 2013–2017 Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew 2013–2017
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter 2015–2017 Attorney General Loretta Lynch 2015–2017
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell 2013–2017 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack 2009–2017
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker 2013–2017 Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez 2013–2017
Secretary of Health and
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Secretary of Transportation		 John King Jr.
Anthony Foxx		 2016–2017
2013–2017
Secretary of Housing and Urban
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Vice President Joe Biden 2009–2017 White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough 2013–2017
Director of the Office of Management and
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Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power 2013–2017 Chair of the Council of Economic
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Trade Representative Michael Froman 2013–2017 Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet 2014–2017
Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet
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White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10
Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13
William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17
Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10
Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14
Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17
Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17
Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009–13
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009
Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10
Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12
John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009
Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009
David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13
Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15
Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17
Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11
Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14
Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16
Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17
Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11
Director, Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13
Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17
Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13
David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17
Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11
Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13
Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17
Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13
Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17
Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11
Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13
Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16
Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016
Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17
Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11
Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16
Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13
Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14
Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15
Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17
Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11
Director, Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12
Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13
Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17
Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11
White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15
Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17
Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11
Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14
White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17
Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17
Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11
Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15
Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17
Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17
Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12
Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17
Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10
Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12
Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13
Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014
Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17
Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11
Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17
Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13
Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17
White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon† 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14
Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17
Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14
Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15
Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
† Remained from previous administration.
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