# Michael Hagee

Michael William Hagee (born December 1, 1944) is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2006, succeeding General James L. Jones on January 13, 2003. He stepped down as Commandant two months before the end of his four-year term, and was succeeded by General James T. Conway on November 13, 2006. On that date, Hagee had his retirement ceremony just prior to the passage of command ceremony. Hagee retired from the Marine Corps on January 1, 2007.

## Biography
### Early life and education

Hagee was born in Hampton, Virginia, on December 1, 1944 and raised in Fredericksburg, Texas. He graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and was a classmate of Oliver North, Charles Bolden, Jim Webb, and Michael Mullen. He also holds a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff College and the United States Naval War College. In 2004, he was honored with the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award.

### Personal life

His father, Robert L. Hagee, served as a United States Navy pilot in World War II and, in the summer of 2009, was awarded a plaque at the Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site, now known as the National Museum of the Pacific War (formerly Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg, Texas. He and his wife Silke, daughter of the German Air Force brigadier general Werner Boie, have two children.
Hagee is the President and CEO of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. He has previously sat on the Board of Advisors for Cobam and Silicon Graphics.

## Military career

| Platoon Commander, Company A, 1st Battalion 9th Marines | 1970 |
| Commanding Officer, Company A and H&S Company, 1st Battalion 1st Marines | 1970–1971 |
| Communications-Electronics Officer, Marine Air Command and Control Squadron 1 | 1971 |
| Assistant Director, Telecommunications School | 1972–1974 |
| Commanding Officer, Waikele-West Loch Guard Company | 1974–1976 |
| Commanding Officer, Pearl Harbor Guard Company | 1976–1977 |
| Training Officer, 3rd Marine Division | 1977–1978 |
| Electrical Engineering Instructor, United States Naval Academy | 1978–1981 |
| Head, Officer Plans Section, Headquarters Marine Corps | 1982–1986 |
| Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, 2nd Marine Division | 1987–1988 |
| Executive Officer, 8th Marine Regiment | 1988 |
| Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion 8th Marines | 1988–1990 |
| Director Humanities and Social Science Division/Marine Corps Representative, United States Naval Academy | 1990–1992 |
| Commanding Officer, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit | 1992–1993 |
| Liaison Officer to the U.S. Special Envoy to Somalia | 1992–1993 |
| Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps | 1993–1994 |
| Director, Character Development Division, United States Naval Academy | 1994–1995 |
| Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense | 1995–1996 |
| Executive Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence | 1995–1996 |
| Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters, United States European Command | 1996–1998 |
| Commanding General, 1st Marine Division | 1998–1999 |
| Director Strategic Plans and Policy, United States Pacific Command | 1999–2000 |
| Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force | 2000–2002 |
| Commandant of the Marine Corps | 2003–2006 |

## Awards and decorations

| 1st Row | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters | Defense Superior Service Medal | Legion of Merit with two award stars | Bronze Star with valor device |
| 2nd Row | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal with one award star | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one award star | Combat Action Ribbon |
| 3rd Row | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Unit Commendation with one service star | National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal | National Defense Service Medal with two service stars |
| 4th Row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars | Southwest Asia Service Medal with one service star | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| 5th Row | Humanitarian Service Medal | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with two service stars | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with one service star | French Legion of Honor, Commander |
| 6th Row | Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation | Vietnam Campaign Medal | Kuwait Liberation Medal |
| Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |||||