John A. Hammond (general)

John A. “Jack” Hammond (born December 15, 1960) is a retired United States Army Brigadier General who led multiple combat commands during both the |Invasion of Iraq and the War in Afghanistan. After retiring from the Army in 2012, Hammond was invited to serve as the Executive Director for Home Base, which is a partnership between the Boston Red Sox and the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where he and his team have leveraged the incredible resources of the MGH, Harvard Medical School, and Mass General Brigham System in order to reimagine Veteran healthcare and establish America’s first private sector National Center of Excellence for Veteran Mental Health and Brain Injuries.Brigadier Gen. (ret.) Hammond to lead Red Sox, Mass. General program. (2012, October). Daily Times Chronicle.
Hammond is a decorated combat leader and private sector innovator who has served on advisory groups for presidents, governors and businesses. He has presented on his innovative programs and leadership at the White House, United Kingdom’s Parliament, Presidential libraries, national audiences from the VFW, and with companies working in defense, construction, biotechnology, marketing, and more. Since 2013, Hammond has appeared on television as a military, veteran, and national security analyst for ABC and several other Cable Stations.
Hammond has led U.S. and NATO forces in combat and counter-terrorism operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This includes; simultaneously commanding two separate Battalion level Task Forces on a significant number of successful intelligence-fused counter-terrorist operations in Iraq, and both Mass Casualty suicide bombings and an attack on our US Embassy in Afghanistan.
Hammond has led Home Base, a dynamic healthcare organization, for more than a decade and has reimagined the future of mental health and brain injury care by developing innovative new solutions for complex and life-threatening injuries, and delivered world-class care for more than 30,000 Veterans, and military service members, and military families at no cost to them. 
At the height of the coronavirus pandemic during the Spring of 2020, General Hammond was called upon by Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts to construct, staff, and operate the 1,000 room Boston Hope COVID Field Hospital. General Hammond received the Commander in Chief Gold Medal of Merit at VFW National Convention in 2019. In 2020 he was inducted into the US Army Military Police Hall of Fame, and in 2021 Hammond received the American Red Cross “Heroes Award.” 
==Early Life and Education==
General Hammond was born in Cambridge, MA and graduated from Reading Memorial High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1984, a Master’s Degree in Marketing and Communications from Boston University, and is a Harvard University National Security Fellow. Hammond was raised in a military family with 4 relatives serving in WWII, and 1 who served in Korea and Vietnam. He enlisted in the Army National Guard after his second year at the University of Massachusetts, and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the summer of 1983 before entering his senior year. Hammond’s entered active duty after graduating from College in 1984. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army. Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Counter-Terrorism Instructor Course, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Cavalry Leaders Course, Tank Commanders Course, Command and General Staff College, Joint Task Force Commanders Course, Counterinsurgency Leaders Course, General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Course. 
==Military Career==
Hammond served in 685th Military Police Battalion from 1983 until 1990 as a Platoon Leader, Assistant S-3 Operations Officer, and Detachment Commander. He completed a branch reassignment and was assigned to the 1-110 Cavalry Squadron serving as a Troop Commander, S-3 Air Operations Officer and S-1 Personnel Officer. Hammond served on the faculty at Boston University as an Assistant Professor, and Executive Officer of the Charles River Battalion Army ROTC from 1996-1999. From 1999-2001 Hammond served with the 29th Infantry Division as the Battalion Executive Officer for the 1-181st Infantry Battalion and the Operations Officer for the 26th Infantry Brigade in preparation for the SFOR-10 deployment to Bosnia. 
===Global War on Terrorism===
===Operation Noble Eagle===
In February 2001, Hammond assumed command of the 211th Military Police Battalion. Within hours of the September 11th Attacks in 2001, the 211th MP Battalion was deployed to secure critical sites and infrastructure across Massachusetts. On October 5th 2001, the 211th MP Battalion received orders to redeploy and secure seven US airports. This mission would last for nine months and prepare them for overseas operations in South West Asia. 
===War in Afghanistan (First Tour)===
In June 2002, the 211th MP Battalion was ordered to deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom II. A subsequent order split the Battalion Headquarters between Fort Drum and Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan, and the subordinate Military Police Companies continued with security missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. 
===Iraq War===
In November of 2002, Hammond received orders attaching the 211th MP Battalion Headquarters to 4th Infantry Division as part of the invasion of Iraq through Turkey. This mission was cancelled when the Turkish government denied US troops entry, and the 211th MP Battalion was then attached to 18th Military Police Brigade. Just prior to crossing into Iraq from Kuwait, Hammond received new orders to form Task Force Patriot with two military police companies, two infantry companies, and a tank company, in support of V CORPS operations to secure the Balad Airbase and adjacent region. In May, 2003, Hammond was directed to split his Headquarters and simultaneously lead two separate Task Forces 100 miles apart. Task Force Patriot would continue operations in the Balad Region of the Sunni Triangle, and Task Force Enforcer would conduct counter insurgent operations in the Anbar Province city of Fallujah. Task Force Enforcer was comprised of 115th Military Police Company, 3rd Military Police Company (attached), 2 PSYOPS Teams, 346 Psychological Operations Company, and 2 Counter-Intelligence Teams, 141 Military Intelligence Battalion. It’s mission was to support the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and later 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, by neutralizing the insurgent threat in Fallujah through intelligence collection and direct action raids. Task Force’s Enforcer and Patriot completed a significant number of raids, and captured hundreds of insurgents, tons of weapons and bomb making materials, and re-established seven Iraqi police departments. Based upon the asymmetric nature of these operations, Hammond developed several innovative tactics to include; Mobile Operations Center, Precision and “Knock & Talk” Raids, and Mobile Check Points. The 211th Military Police Battalion received two separate Valorous Unit Awards, the second highest unit decoration, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States. 
===Joint Force Headquarters - Massachusetts===
Hammond returned to the US and served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Homeland Security for Joint Force Headquarters Massachusetts. He established a theater security partnership with the Republic of Paraguay, formed a Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Response Force for FEMA Region One, built an Operations Fusion Center for the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and deployed to New Orleans in support of Hurricane Katrina. Hammond was promoted to Colonel in 2007 and became the Chief of Staff for Joint Headquarters Massachusetts, which was composed of four Army Brigade level Headquarters, one Air Force F-15 Fighter Wing and one Air Force A-10 Fighter Wing, and 9,000 Soldiers and Airman.
===War in Afghanistan (Second Tour)===
Hammond attended the International Crisis Management Program with the Israeli Defense Force in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2010, and received orders to assume command of the 26th “Yankee” MEB and deploy to Afghanistan. He completed the Counterinsurgency Leaders Course at the NATO Training Center in Kabul in late 2010, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as the Commander of US Forces in Kabul Province and Task Force Yankee. Hammond was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General by General David Petraeus in a ceremony at ISAF Headquarters, and became the first Massachusetts officer promoted to the General Officer rank in combat since World War II. Hammond was responsible for providing Mission Command and security of Kabul Province and the 11 US Bases operating in the Capital region. General Hammond’s Task Force Yankee constructed the first Kabul-centric intelligence-fused operations center and successfully responded to complex attacks on the U.S. Embassy, NATO Headquarters, the British Council, the Afghan Military Hospital, and a mass casualty suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 17 US and NATO members. Hammond returned to the US and requested retirement effective June 1st 2012. 
Post-Military Career
Based upon his military experiences and work with veteran health and transition issues, General Hammond has prepared OPED and Opinion pieces for news outlets. He has also been interviewed for a number of news articles, television, podcasts, presentations and panel discussions. General Hammond joined 600 retired Generals and Admirals after his retirement to advocate for early childhood education and care. General Hammond is routinely interviewed by different media on important issues involving the military, national security, and leadership to include; commented on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Russian Attack on the Ukraine. He also commented on Council for a Strong America’s Blog “Supporting Education and Military Readiness”.
==Awards and Decorations==
* Army Distinguished Service Medal
* Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
* Bronze Star Medal
* Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
* Army Commendation Medal (with Valor Device)
* Army Commendation (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
* Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
* Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
* National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
* Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
* Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Humanitarian Service Medal
* Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
* Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 3)
* Army Service Ribbon
* Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
* Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 3)
* North Atlantic Treaty Organization (ISAF) Medal
* Bulgarian Medal of Mission Support
* French National Defense Service Medal
* Army Valorous Unit Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
* Combat Action Badge
Category:1960 births
Category:People from Cambridge
Category:Boston University alumni
Category:University of Massachusetts alumni
Category:Brigadier generals