LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN E. "JACK" STERLING, JR.

Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
Fort Eustis, VA

Lieutenant General John E. "Jack" Sterling, Jr., assumed duties as Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command on May 3, 2010. In that position he serves as the principal deputy to the commanding general in leading TRADOC’s 40,000 military and civilian personnel in the initial military training of all Army Soldiers, professionally developing all Army leaders, and developing new capabilities to ensure Army success on the battlefield in the 21st century.

Lieutenant General Sterling came to TRADOC after serving as Assistant Chief of Staff, U-3/C-3/J-3, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, United States Forces Korea and Deputy Commanding General, Eighth United States Army, where he was responsible for providing operational direction for all Republic of Korea and United States forces assigned to the Korean Peninsula.

Lieutenant General Sterling was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1976 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy. He has served in engineer leadership positions from platoon leader through brigade command in the 1st Armored Division, the 5th Infantry Division, and the 3rd Infantry Division. Other assignments included service in the Baltimore District of the Corps of Engineers as a project engineer on the Alternate National Military Command and Control Center; Chief of Plans in G-3, V Corps, Frankfurt, Germany; and service on the Army Staff as the Deputy Chief of the War Plans Division, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate in the Army G-3.

From 2001-2003 Lieutenant General Sterling served as the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Infantry Division, including initial combat operations of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. He served as the USAREUR Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer and Commander of the 18th Theater Army Engineer Brigade, during which he was reassigned as Deputy Commanding General, CJTF-76 in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan in 2005-2006. He also served as the Assistant Commandant, United States Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 2006-2007.

Lieutenant General Sterling earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, the School of Advanced Military Studies and the National War College, receiving Master’s degrees in Military Arts and Science and National Security Studies. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Virginia.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), GWOT Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary and Service Medals, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Army Staff Badge.