Bantz J . Craddock Bantz John Craddock ( born August 24 , 1949 ) is a retired United States Army four - star general . His last military assignment was as Commander , U . S . European Command ( USEUCOM ) and the NATO ' s Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) as well as the commanding officer of Allied Command Operations ( ACO ) from December 2006 to June 30 , 2009 . He also served as Commander , U . S . Southern Command from November 9 , 2004 to December 2006 . After his retirement in 2009 , he was hired by MPRI , Inc . , ( sometimes called Military Professional Resources , Inc . ) to serve as its corporate president . Early life . Craddock was raised in Doddridge County , West Virginia . He graduated from Doddridge County High School in 1967 . Military career . Craddock was commissioned as an Armor officer upon graduation from West Virginia University . His initial tour of duty was with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany , followed by an assignment at Fort Knox , Kentucky , as an armor test officer for the U . S . Army Armor and Engineer Board . After completion of the Armor Officer Advanced Course , he was again assigned to the 3rd Armored Division , commanding a tank company in the 1st Battalion , 32nd Armor Regiment . In September 1981 , Craddock was reassigned to the Office of the Program Manager , Abrams Tank Systems in Warren , Michigan , as a Systems Analyst and later as Program Executive Officer . After graduation from the Command and General Staff College , Craddock joined the 8th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) in Germany , serving as the Executive Officer of the 4th Battalion , 69th Armor Regiment for two years . He was subsequently reassigned to the Division Headquarters as the Deputy G3 , Operations . In May 1989 , Craddock assumed command of the 4th Battalion , 64th Armor Regiment 24th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) at Fort Stewart , Georgia . He commanded the Tuskers for 26 months , deploying to Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm . Following command , Craddock was the Assistant Chief of Staff , G3 , Operations , for the 24th Division . Subsequently , he attended the U . S . Army War College , graduating in 1993 . Craddock then assumed command of the 194th Armored Brigade ( Separate ) at Fort Knox . In June 1995 , Craddock inactivated the Brigade as part of the U . S . Army ' s post - cold war drawdown , and was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff , G3 , for III Corps at Fort Hood , Texas . In 1996 , Craddock was reassigned to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon as an Assistant Deputy Director in J5 . In August 1998 , he joined the 1st Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) in Germany as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver . While serving in that capacity , Craddock was designated as Commander of U . S . Forces for the initial entry operation into Kosovo . In August 1999 , Craddock was reassigned as the Commanding General of the 7th Army Training Command , U . S . Army Europe . In September 2000 , Craddock assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) – the " Big Red One " . From August 2002 to 2004 , Craddock served as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense . Craddock served as Combatant Commander of United States Southern Command from 2004 until 2006 . On July 14 , 2006 , NATO announced that , when his term as COCOM of the United States Southern Command expired , Craddock would succeed James L . Jones as Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) — NATO ' s top commander of operations in Europe . The change - of - command ceremony at Mons , Belgium , occurred on December 7 , 2006 . Controversy . Craddock defended the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp against criticism . While overseeing Guantanamo , he blocked attempts to get a commander of the camp reprimanded over abuse claims . Craddock insisted that the officer had done nothing wrong . On January 28 , 2009 , " Der Spiegel " reported obtaining a classified NATO document in which Craddock ordered troops to kill drug traffickers and bomb narcotics laboratories in Afghanistan , even if there is no evidence that they are involved in terrorist activities . Military honors . Craddock ' s decorations include : Additionally , Craddock has been honored of the following associations : Civilian Awards . A bridge in Doddridge County West Virginia on 50 was dedicated to Gen . Craddock in 2006 .