Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III ( born 8 August 1953 ) is a United States Army general . He is the 12th and current commander of United States Central Command ( CENTCOM ) . Austin is the first African American to ever head the organisation . Prior to current assignment , General Austin served as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January 31 , 2012 to March 8 , 2013 . His previous assignment was as the last Commanding General of United States Forces - Iraq , Operation New Dawn , which lasted until December 15 , 2011 . On December 6 , 2012 , the Pentagon announced that President Obama will nominate General Austin to lead the U . S . Central Command . Austin was confirmed by the U . S . Senate on March 5 , 2013 , and assumed command on March 22 , 2013 . Of his service in Iraq , Defense Secretary Leon E . Panetta said : “ During his final deployment to Iraq , Gen . Austin led our military efforts at a particularly important time , overseeing the drawdown of U . S . forces and equipment while simultaneously helping to ensure that hard - fought security gains were preserved and that Iraqis could secure and govern themselves . ” Early life and education . Austin was born on 8 August 1953 in Mobile , Alabama and raised in Thomasville , Georgia . He graduated from the United States Military Academy ( West Point ) with a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1975 . He also earned a Master ' s Degree in Education from Auburn University , and a Master ' s Degree in Business Management from Webster University . He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses , the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College , and the U . S . Army War College . Career . Austin was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation from West Point . His initial assignment was to the 3rd Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) in Germany where he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader in A Company , 1st Battalion , 7th Infantry and Scout Platoon Leader in the Combat Support Company , 1st Battalion , 7th Infantry . Following this assignment and attendance at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course , he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina , where he commanded the Combat Support Company , 2nd Battalion ( Airborne ) , 508th Infantry and served as the Assistant S - 3 ( Operations ) for 1st Brigade , 82nd Airborne Division . In 1981 , Austin was assigned to Indianapolis , Indiana where he served as the Operations Officer for the U . S . Army Indianapolis District Recruiting Command and later commanded a company in the U . S . Army Recruiting Battalion . Upon completing this assignment , he attended Auburn University where he completed studies for a Master ' s Degree in Education . He was then assigned to the U . S . Military Academy at West Point , New York , where he served as a Company Tactical Officer . After his selection and subsequent completion of the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College , Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) , Fort Drum , New York , where he served as the S - 3 ( Operations ) and later Executive Officer for the 2nd Battalion , 22nd Infantry . He subsequently served as Executive Officer for 1st Brigade , 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) and later as Director of Plans , Training , Mobilization and Security for Fort Drum , New York . In 1993 , Austin returned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina where he commanded the 2nd Battalion , 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment . He later served as the G - 3 for the 82nd Airborne Division . Following graduation from the U . S . Army War College at Carlisle Barracks , Pennsylvania , he commanded the 3rd Brigade , 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . Shortly after Brigade command , he was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington , D . C . where he served as Chief , Joint Operations Division , J - 3 , on the Joint Staff . His next assignment was as Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver , 3rd Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) , Fort Stewart , Georgia . As the ADC - M , he helped spearhead the division ' s invasion of Iraq in March 2003 . Austin served from September 2003 until August 2005 as the Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) , with duty as Commander , Combined Joint Task Force - 180 , Operation Enduring Freedom , Afghanistan . His next position was Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command at MacDill AFB , in Tampa , Florida from September 2005 until October 2006 . On 8 December 2006 , Austin was promoted to Lieutenant General , and assumed command of the XVIII Airborne Corps , Fort Bragg , North Carolina . In February 2008 , Austin became the second highest ranking commander in Iraq , taking command of the Multi - National Corps - Iraq ( MNC - I ) , replacing Lt . Gen . Raymond T . Odierno . As commander of MNC - I , he directed the operations of approximately 152 , 000 joint and coalition forces in all sectors of Iraq . Austin handed over command of XVIII Corps to become Director of the Joint Staff in August 2009 . Commanding General of U . S . Forces Iraq . On 1 September 2010 he became Commanding General of U . S . Forces Iraq at a ceremony at the al - Faw palace in Bagdad , Iraq after the US combat missions ended . He took over from General Ray Odierno . Vice President Joe Biden , Defense Secretary Robert Gates , and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm . Mike Mullen presided over the ceremony . Lloyd Austin ' s deployment in Iraq finished on 18 December 2011 . Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army . Austin was nominated and confirmed on 14 December 2011 to be the next Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army . He took office as the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army on 31 January 2012 . On 22 March 2013 , he became the Commander of CENTCOM . Awards and decorations . 2007 inductee to the Thomasville - Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame