Gary J. Volesky

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Gary J. Volesky
Lt. Gen. Gary J. Volesky.jpg
Lieutenant General Volesky in 2017
Born (1961-09-07) September 7, 1961 (age 60)
Spokane, Washington[1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1983–2020
RankLieutenant General
Commands heldI Corps
101st Airborne Division
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment
Battles/warsGulf War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Operation Inherent Resolve
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (5)
Purple Heart

Gary J. Volesky (born September 7, 1961) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who commanded of I Corps from 2017 to 2020. He previously served as commander of the 101st Airborne Division and commander of the American ground forces in Iraq as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.[2] Volesky retired in February 2020, after being succeeded by Lieutenant General Randy George as commander of I Corps.

Biography[]

From Spokane, Washington, Volesky graduated from Ferris High School in 1979. In 1983, he earned a bachelor's degree in military science from Eastern Washington University.[3] He followed this with a master's degree in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from Princeton University. He graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and earned another master's degree at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.[4]

Volesky served in the Gulf War, Iraq War and War in Afghanistan. He earned the Silver Star for his actions on 4 April 2004 – later known as "Black Sunday" – that began the Siege of Sadr City.[5]

Volesky served as the U.S. Army's Chief of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C.,[6] prior to being appointed commander of the 101st Airborne Division in June 2014. In 2015, he was deployed with the 101st to Liberia to help the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with the ebola crisis by building treatment facilities and to train aid workers.[1] He later served as commander of the American ground forces in Iraq as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.

Volesky replaced Lieutenant General Stephen Lanza as commander of I Corps on 3 April 2017.[7] He retired in February 2020, after Lieutenant General Randy George succeeded him as I Corps commander.[8]

Awards and decorations[]

CIB2.png Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)[4]
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger Tab
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg  Master Parachutist Badge
AirAssault.svg  Air Assault Badge
United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png  Army Staff Identification Badge
Combat service identification badge of the 101st Airborne Division.png  101st Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge
5thcav.png 5th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
No free image.png  Honduras parachutist badge
ASU overseas service bar.jpg ? Overseas Service Bars
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze Star Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Purple Heart
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze-service-star-3d.pngBronze-service-star-3d.pngBronze-service-star-3d.png Southwest Asia Service Medal with three service stars
Bronze-service-star-3d.pngBronze-service-star-3d.png Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Bronze-service-star-3d.pngBronze-service-star-3d.pngBronze-service-star-3d.png Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 5.png Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 5
NATO Medal for service with ISAF
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Depictions in media[]

Volesky is shown in National Geographic's mini-series The Long Road Home (miniseries).

References[]

  1. ^ a b Caster, Brian (15 October 2016). "'We Are Fighting an Enemy, and the Enemy Is Ebola'". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Department of Defense Press Briefing by Army Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky". U.S. Department of Defense. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  3. ^ Carper, Kandi (15 October 2014). "Volesky's Rendezvous with Destiny". Eastern Magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Major General Gary J. Volesky" (PDF). Fort Campbell. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  5. ^ Lawrence-Turner, Jody (15 March 2014). "Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, EWU alumnus, to lead Army's storied 101st Airborne Division". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  6. ^ Raddatz, Martha; Coolidge, Richard; Phelps, Jordyn (19 March 2013). "10 years later: Brig. Gen. Volesky on the sacrifices and progress made in the Iraq War". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  7. ^ Lynn, Adam (3 April 2017). "New I Corps commander: 'We are ready to fight tonight'". The News Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  8. ^ Ferraro, Julie A. (February 6, 2020). "I Corps change of command: George promoted and takes command of America's First Corps". Northwest Military.com. Joint Base Lewis–McChord, WA.

External links[]

Military offices
Preceded by Commander I Corps
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Randy A. George
Retrieved from ""