Michael K. Nagata

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Michael K. Nagata
LTG Michael Nagata.jpg
BornAlexandria, Virginia
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Years of service1982–2019
RankArmy-USA-OF-08.svg Lieutenant General
Commands heldIntelligence Support Activity
SOCCENT
Battles/warsOperation Gothic Serpent
Battle of Mogadishu
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Spouse(s)Barbara Nagata
Children5

Michael K. Nagata is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general.[1]

Early career[]

Nagata was commissioned as a Second lieutenant in 1982 and served as an infantry platoon leader with the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Division in South Korea. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1984 and commanded a ODA detachment of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group where he gained a "reputation for coolness under pressure, and for a wry sense of humor."[2]

In the decision that shaped his career, Nagata volunteered and was selected for the Intelligence Support Activity in 1990, nicknamed "The Activity", an ultra-secret unit conducting signal and human intelligence gathering for special mission units of Joint Special Operations Command. Nagata spent 15 years in the unit, serving as troop commander until 1994, and operations officer from 1997 to 1999. He would later serve as squadron commander from 2000-2002 and later unit commander as a Colonel from 2005 to 2008.[2]

In 1993 while deployed on his first tour with The Activity in Somalia, Nagata was "the CIA chief of station’s right-hand man" according to Jerry Boykin (former commander of Delta Force) in Somalia, "functioning as the liaison between the chief of station in Mogadishu and Task Force Ranger, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) task force given the mission to hunt down the warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid."[2]

Special Operations Command[]

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Michael Nagata in Pakistan, 2010.

From June 2013 to October 2015 Nagata commanded the Special Operations Command Central.[3][4] Nagata was in charge of an Obama administration program to "train and equip Syrian rebels," but the program was deemed a "failure," and Nagata stepped down as commander of American Special Operations forces in the Middle East. The program "ultimately produced only a few dozen fighters," rather than the 15,000 originally hoped for.[5]

Nagata's last position on active duty was the Director of Strategy for the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) from 2016 to 2019.[6]

Post Army Career[]

On January 6, 2020, CACI International Inc. announced that it had "named Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, U.S. Army (Ret.), as Corporate Strategic Advisor and Senior Vice President to enhance the positioning of CACI’s national security-related expertise and technology offerings."[7]

Awards and decorations[]

Combat Infantry Badge.svg Combat Infantryman Badge
Einzelbild Special Forces (Special Forces Insignia).svg Special Forces Tab
Ranger Tab.svg Ranger tab
Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge
SpecOpsDivSupBad.jpeg Special Operations Diving Supervisor Badge
US Military Master Free Fall Parachutist Badge.jpg Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
USSpecOpsCmdSSI.gif United States Special Operations Command Combat Service Identification Badge
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
No free image.png Korean parachutist badge
SpecialForces Badge.svg 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Distinctive Unit Insignia
ArmyOSB.svg 8 Overseas Service Bars
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
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 Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Defense Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgBronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Superior Unit Award
Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg Army Good Conduct Medal
Bronze star
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
Bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Award numeral 3.svg Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 3
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia

Personal life[]

Nagata and his wife Barbara have five children. He was born in Alexandria, Virginia to Frances and William Nagata, both from Honolulu, Hawaii. His father is a retired military intelligence colonel and was stationed in Virginia at the time of Michael's birth.[8] [9]

References[]

  1. ^ "NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED (NON-CIVILIAN) — PN1181". United States Senate. July 13, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Meet the Shadow Warrior Leading the Fight Against the Islamic State". Foreign Policy. May 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Special Operations Command Central welcomes new commander
  4. ^ Eric Schmitt In Battle to Defang ISIS, U.S. Targets Its Psychology nytimes.com DEC. 28, 2014
  5. ^ Eric Schmitt New Role for General After Failure of Syria Rebel Plan nytimes.com OCT. 19, 2015
  6. ^ "Are we winning against terrorism? LTG Michael Nagata, USA Ret. discusses at IWP". The Institute of World Politics. 2019-09-20. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  7. ^ CACI Appoints Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata (Ret.) as Corporate Strategic Advisor bloomberg.com JAN. 6, 2020
  8. ^ Wade Ishimoto: Michael K. Nagata Promoted to Major General - Japanese American Veterans Association October 2012, Volume 62, Issue 9 via Nisei Veterans Committee Newsletter
  9. ^ Nagata tapped to lead U.S. Central Command special ops - Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 2013-01-22

External links[]

See also[]

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