John R . Allen John R . Allen ( born December 15 , 1953 ) is a retired United States Marine Corps four - star general . He was the nominee to be NATO ' s Supreme Allied Commander , Europe in early 2013 . His assignment is as commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U . S . Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) from July 2011 to March 2013 . Early life and education . Allen was born in Fort Belvoir , Virginia in 1953 . He attended Flint Hill School in Oakton , Virginia . He graduated with military honors from the U . S . Naval Academy with the Class of 1976 , receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Analysis . He is a 1998 Distinguished Graduate of the National War College . He holds a Master of Arts degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University , a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College , and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College . Career . Following commissioning in 1976 , Allen attended The Basic School and was assigned to 2nd Battalion , 8th Marines , where he served as a platoon and rifle company commander . His next tour took him to Marine Barracks , 8th and I , Washington , D . C . where he served at the Marine Corps Institute and as a ceremonial officer . Allen then attended the Postgraduate Intelligence Program of the Defense Intelligence College , where he was the Distinguished Graduate . He subsequently served as the Marine Corps Fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ) . He was the first Marine Corps officer inducted as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations . Returning to the Fleet Marine Force in 1985 he commanded rifle and weapons companies and served as the operations officer of 3rd Battalion , 4th Marines . During this period he received the Leftwich Leadership Trophy . In 1988 , Allen reported to the U . S . Naval Academy where he taught in the Political Science Department and also served as the Jump Officer and Jump Master of the Academy . In 1990 he received the William P . Clements Award as military instructor of the year . Allen reported to The Basic School as the Director of the Infantry Officer Course from 1990 to 1992 and was subsequently selected as a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow . Allen has served as a special assistant on the staffs of the 30th Commandant and the Commanding General , Marine Corps Combat Development Command . In 1994 , he served as the Division G - 3 Operations Officer for the 2nd Marine Division and subsequently assumed command of 2nd Battalion , 4th Marines ; re - designated as 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines . This unit served with JTF - 160 in Operation SEA SIGNAL during Caribbean contingency operations in 1994 , and as part of the Landing Force of the 6th Fleet in Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR during Balkans contingency operations in 1995 – 1996 . Following battalion command , Allen reported as the Senior Aide - de - camp to the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps , Charles C . Krulak , ultimately serving as his military secretary . He commanded The Basic School from 1999 to 2001 , when he was selected in April 2001 to return to the Naval Academy as the Deputy Commandant . Allen became the 79th Commandant of Midshipmen in January 2002 , the first Marine Corps officer to serve in this position at the Naval Academy . In January 2003 Allen was nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general . Allen ' s first tour as a General Officer was as the Principal Director , Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Office of the U . S . Secretary of Defense , a position he occupied for nearly three years . From 2006 – 2008 , Allen served as Deputy Commanding General , II Marine Expeditionary Force and Commanding General , 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade , deploying to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom 06 - 08 , serving as the Deputy Commanding General of Multi - National Forces West and II MEF ( Forward ) in the Al Anbar Province , Iraq . In January 2007 Allen was nominated for appointment to the grade of major general . In June 2008 Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced Allen ' s nomination for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general . He served as the deputy commander of the U . S . Central Command from July 15 , 2008 until July 18 , 2011 at MacDill Air Force Base . On June 30 , 2010 Allen temporarily commanded Central Command after General David Petraeus left to assume command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan . He served as acting commander until General James Mattis took command on August 11 . Allen was promoted to general by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Admiral Mike Mullen prior to his assumption of command of ISAF , and U . S . Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) on 18 July 2011 . Foreign awards include the Mongolian Meritorious Service Medal , First Class ; the Polish Army Medal in Gold ; and the Taiwan Order of Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat . On March 6 , 2012 he received the Polish Afghanistan Star Medal from Polish President , Bronisław Komorowski . On April 20 , 2012 he received another Polish award , the Commander ' s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland . In November 2012 , he came under investigation for possible " inappropriate - communication " concerning his correspondences with Jill Kelley . In response to the investigation , Secretary Panetta has suspended his confirmation hearing for commander of EUCOM and requested the U . S . Congress to speed the confirmation of General Joseph F . Dunford , Jr . to command of forces in Afghanistan . On January 22 , 2013 , General Allen was cleared in a misconduct inquiry . On February 10 , 2013 , Allen relinquished command of the International Security Assistance Force and U . S . Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) to General Dunford . On February 19 , 2013 , U . S . President Obama accepted Allen ' s request to retire from the military as his wife fell seriously ill . On April 29 , 2013 , Allen ' s official retirement ceremony was held in United States Naval Academy . Awards and decorations . Allen ' s personal decorations include the following : He also holds expert rifle and pistol badges .