James D . Thurman James David Thurman ( born September 19 , 1953 ) is a United States Army general serving as the Commander of United Nations Command , R . O . K . - U . S . Combined Forces Command , and U . S . Forces Korea from July 14 , 2011 until October 2 , 2013 . He previously served as the 18th Commanding General , U . S . Army Forces Command from June 3 , 2010 to July 8 , 2011 . Prior to that , he served as Deputy Chief of Staff , G - 3 / 5 / 7 . He was the former commanding general of United States V Corps in Heidelberg , Germany from January 19 , 2007 to August 8 , 2007 . He assumed his current assignment on July 14 , 2011 . Early life and education . Thurman is a native of Marietta , Oklahoma , United States . He received a Bachelor of Arts in History from East Central University and a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University . Thurman received a Regular Army Commission from the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1975 . Army career . Thurman began his career in the 4th Infantry Division serving as Platoon Leader , Executive Officer , and Motor Officer for 6th Battalion , 32d Armor . He has commanded at all levels from Company to Division . After attending the Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course , he commanded the Aero - Scout Platoon and later became the Operations Officer , A Troop , 1st Squadron , 17th Cavalry , 82nd Airborne Division , Fort Bragg , North Carolina . From 1981 - 1982 , he attended the Armor Officer Advanced Course , United States Army Armor School , Fort Knox , Kentucky . Upon completion , Thurman attended the AH - 64 Aviator Qualification Course , United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker , Alabama , and he then served as Executive Officer , 3rd Squadron , 6th Cavalry Brigade , Fort Hood , Texas . During 1989 - 1991 , Thurman served as Executive Officer for 1st Battalion , 32d Armor , 1st Cavalry Division and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm , Saudi Arabia . Thurman ’ s previous assignments also include Commander of 2nd Squadron , 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment ; 3d Squadron , 4th Cavalry , 3rd Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) , United States Army Europe and Seventh Army , Germany ; Commander , 2nd Brigade , 3rd Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) , Fort Stewart , Georgia ; Commander , Operations Group , United States Army National Training Center , Fort Irwin , California ; Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy , Allied Forces Southern Europe , Regional Command South , Italy ; Commanding General , National Training Center and Fort Irwin , Fort Irwin , California ; Director of Training , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , G - 3 , United States Army ; and Chief , Operations , Coalition Forces Land Component Command , Operation Iraqi Freedom , Camp Doha , Kuwait . Thurman left Kuwait to become the Director , Army Aviation Task Force , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , G - 3 , United States Army in Washington , D . C . , where he remained until his arrival at Fort Hood as the 4th Infantry commanding general . On October 2 , 2006 , Thurman was nominated for promotion by President George W . Bush for appointment to the rank of Lieutenant General . His receipt of promotion and his third star was January 19 , 2007 . On December 19 , 2006 , Thurman took over assignment in Heidelberg , Germany as the commanding general of V Corps along with the U . S . Army Europe and Seventh Army . He returned from the Iraq War with the 4th Infantry Division in November 2006 after a second tour .