Curtis Scaparrotti Curtis Michael " Mike " Scaparrotti ( born 1956 ) is a four - star general in the United States Army , and is the current Commander of United Nations Command , R . O . K . - U . S . Combined Forces Command , and U . S . Forces Korea . Scaparrotti recently served as the Director , Joint Staff . Prior to his tour with the Joint Staff , General Scaparrotti served as Commander , International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and Deputy Commander , U . S . Forces – Afghanistan , the Commanding General of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis - McChord , and the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division . In addition , General Scaparrotti has served in key leadership positions at the tactical , operational , and strategic level of the United States military to include Director of Operations , United States Central Command and as the 69th Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy . He has commanded forces during Operations Iraqi Freedom , Enduring Freedom ( Afghanistan ) , Support Hope ( Zaire / Rwanda ) , Joint Endeavour ( Bosnia - Herzegovina ) , and Assured Response ( Liberia ) . His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses , Command and General Staff College , and the United States Army War College . He holds a master ' s degree in Administrative Education from the University of South Carolina . Military career . A native of Logan , Ohio , Scaparrotti began his career after receiving his commission as a second lieutenant in the infantry following graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1978 . His initial duty assignments were as a rifle and anti - tank platoon leader , operations officer and company commander in 3rd Battalion , 325th Infantry , 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . In 1984 , Scaparrotti completed the infantry officer advanced course at Fort Benning , Georgia , followed by studies in Administrative Education at the University of South Carolina , where he earned his Master of Education degree . He returned to West Point in 1985 where he was assigned as a tactical officer and the superintendent ’ s aide - de - camp until 1988 . After his assignment here , he continued his military studies at the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . By July 1989 , Scaparrotti went on to serve with the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum , New York , where he was the operations officer for 1st Battalion , 87th Infantry Regiment and then moved to division headquarters as the chief of the operations branch . From 1992 to 1994 , he worked in Washington , D . C . , at the Army Total Personnel Command and the Army Chief of Staff ' s office . In May 1994 , Scaparrotti took command of 3rd Battalion , 325th Airborne Combat Team , Southern European Task Force in Vicenza , Italy , and in that time he commanded the battalion during Operations Support Hope in Zaire / Rwanda , Joint Endeavor in Bosnia - Herzegovina and Assured Response in Liberia . Scaparrotti returned to Fort Drum in 1996 as the 10th Mountain Division ’ s operations officer and from there he continued his studies at the U . S . Army War College , Carlisle Barracks , Pa . He served as the chief of Army Initiatives Group in the Deputy Chief of Staff ’ s Office for Plans and Operations in Washington , D . C . in 1998 . By 1999 , Scaparrotti returned to Fort Bragg to command the 2nd Brigade , 82nd Airborne Division before he moved on to serve as the assistant deputy director for Joint Operations on the Joint Staff , Washington , D . C . , from 2001 to 2003 . From July 2003 to July 2004 , Scaparrotti served as the Assistant Division Commander ( Maneuver ) for the 1st Armored Division during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM . From August 2004 to July 2006 , Scaparrotti served as the 69th Commandant of Cadets , United States Military Academy , at West Point , New York . Thereafter , he was assigned as the Director of Operations ( J3 ) for United States Central Command , providing oversight to all military operations throughout the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility , including Iraq and Afghanistan , and also including operations in Somalia , at a critical phase in those missions . Scaparrotti assumed command of the 82nd Airborne Division on October 1 , 2008 and deployed the headquarters to Eastern Afghanistan where he served as the Commanding General Combined Joint Task Force 82 and Regional Command East . On October 15 , 2010 Scaparrotti assumed command of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis McChord ( JBLM ) at Fort Lewis , Washington . While serving as I Corps commander , Scaparrotti served concurrently as Commander , International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and Deputy Commander , U . S . Forces – Afghanistan from July 11 , 2011 to June 12 , 2012 . In July 2012 , Scaparrotti took over as Director of the Joint Staff . He was succeeded as I Corps commander by Lieutenant General Robert B . Brown on July 3 , 2012 . In August 2013 , Scaparrotti took over the US Forces Korea ( USFK ) , replacing General James Thurman . Awards and decorations . Scaparrotti ' s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal , Distinguished Service Medal , Defense Superior Service Medal , Legion of Merit with five Oak Leaf Clusters , Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster , Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters , Combat Action Badge , Expert Infantryman Badge , Master Parachutist Badge , and Ranger Tab .