Joseph F . Dunford , Jr . Joseph F . Dunford , Jr . ( born September 5 , 1955 ) is a four - star general in the United States Marine Corps and current commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U . S . Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) . Prior to that , served as the 32nd Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps . < ref name = " 040 / 10 " > ALMAR 040 / 10 < / ref > He has commanded several units , and is noted for leading the 5th Marine Regiment during the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Early years & education . Dunford was born in Warren , Michigan , in 1955 , and raised in Quincy , Massachusetts . He graduated from Boston College High School in 1973 and from Saint Michael ' s College in June 1977 . He earned his commission the month of his college graduation . He is a graduate of the United States Army War College , Ranger School and the Amphibious Warfare School . He holds a Master of Arts degree in Government from Georgetown University and a second Master of Arts in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University . Marine Corps career . In 1978 , Dunford served in the 1st Marine Division as a platoon and company commander in 3rd Battalion 1st Marines and a company commander in 1st Battalion 9th Marines until 1981 . He served as the aide to the commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force for a year , then transferred to the Officer Assignment Branch at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington , D . C . . He reported to the 2nd Marine Division in June 1985 and commanded L Company of 3rd Battalion 6th Marines . In 1987 , he was reassigned to 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company as the Operations , Plans , and Training Officer . From 1988 - 1991 , Dunford was assigned as the Marine Officer Instructor at the College of the Holy Cross and Officer Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico . In 1992 , he was assigned to HQMC as a member of the Commandant ’ s staff group and subsequently as the Senior Aide to the Commandant of the Marine Corps . In 1995 , he joined the 6th Marine Regiment as the executive officer , then went on to command 2nd Battalion 6th Marines from 1996 until 1998 . In 1999 , Dunford was the executive assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( under both Generals Joseph Ralston and Richard Myers ) and as Chief , Global and Multilateral Affairs Division ( J - 5 ) until 2001 . He next served in the 1st Marine Division where he was assigned to command the 5th Marine Regiment , then as the division ' s chief of staff and assistant commander . During this time , he served 22 months in Iraq . During his command of RCT - 5 in the 2003 invasion of Iraq , he earned the nickname " Fighting Joe " under James Mattis . From 2005 - 2007 , Dunford returned to Headquarters Marine Corps to serve as the Director of the Operations Division of the Plans , Policies and Operations staff , and eventually became the Vice Director for Operations ( J - 3 ) at the Joint Staff in 2008 . In December 2007 , Dunford was nominated for promotion to the rank of major general . In February , Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that President George W . Bush had nominated Dunford for promotion to lieutenant general and appointment as Deputy Commandant for Plans , Policies and Operations , to succeed LtGen Richard F . Natonski . In April 2008 , his appointment to the permanent rank of major general was confirmed by the United States Senate , and simultaneously appointed in the grade of lieutenant general for his new assignment . Dunford served a dual role in his assignment as Deputy Commandant for Plans , Policies , and Operations : On May 1 , 2009 , the Pentagon announced that President Barack Obama had appointed Dunford to serve as the commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Central Command . Less than a year into that assignment , Dunford was nominated by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to succeed James F . Amos as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps , who had been nominated to succeed James Conway as Commandant . President Obama approved his promotion and Dunford assumed the duties and new rank on 23 October 2010 . On October 10 , 2012 , General Dunford was nominated by President Barack Obama to lead U . S . and NATO forces in Afghanistan . After an investigation into inappropriate communications from the then - current commander in Afghanistan , General John R . Allen was opened , Secretary Panetta requested that General Dunford ' s nomination be acted on promptly . On February 10 , 2013 , General Dunford assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force and U . S . Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) from General Allen , who had since been cleared in the Pentagon ' s investigation involving his e - mails in the Petraeus scandal . Awards . Dunford is the recipient of the following awards : He holds rifle expert ( 3rd award ) and pistol sharpshooter marksmanship badges .