# James C. McConville

James Charles McConville (born 16 March 1959) is a retired four-star United States Army general who served as the 40th chief of staff of the Army from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as the 36th vice chief of staff of the Army from 2017 to 2019. Prior to that, he served as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G1).

## Early life and education

McConville was born and raised in the Merrymount neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts, near Boston. He graduated from Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree and then attended the United States Military Academy where he was commissioned as an Infantry officer in the United States Army after his graduation in 1981. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, and was a 2002 National Security Fellow at Harvard University.

## Military career

McConville's command assignments include commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), where he also served as the commanding general of the Combined Joint Task Force-101, Operation Enduring Freedom; deputy commanding general for support of the Combined Joint Task Force-101, Operation Enduring Freedom; commander of the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Operation Iraqi Freedom; commander of the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); and commander of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division (Light).
McConville's key staff assignments include the U.S. Army deputy chief of staff, G-1; chief of legislative liaison; executive officer to the vice chief of staff of the Army; G-3 for 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); J5 strategic planner for U.S. Special Operations Command; S-3 for 25th Combat Aviation Brigade; S-3 for 5th Squadron, 9th Cavalry; and S-3 for Flight Concepts Division.
McConville is a master army aviator qualified in the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, the AH-64D Longbow Apache, the AH-6, AH-1 Cobra and other aircraft. He was nominated for appointment to vice chief of Staff on 24 April 2017. On 25 March 2019, McConville was nominated for appointment as chief of staff of the Army. He relinquished office as chief of staff on 4 August 2023.

## Awards and decorations

* Combat Action Badge
* Master Army Aviator Badge
* Air Assault Badge
* Basic Parachutist Badge
* Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
* Army Staff Identification Badge
* 101st Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge
* 17th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
* 6 Overseas Service Bars
* Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
* Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
* Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
* Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
* Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
* Air Medal with bronze award numeral 2
* Joint Service Commendation Medal
* Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
* Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
* National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
* Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
* Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Army Service Ribbon
* Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 4
* NATO Medal for service with ISAF
* Kartika Eka Paksi Utama (Army Meritorious Service Star), First Class (Indonesia)