Conway Confirmed as Next CMC

On June 13th, President Bush nominated Lt. Gen. James T. Conway for appointment to the grade of General and for appointment as the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC). Conway was confirmed by the Senate with a unanimous vote on August 2nd and was promoted, receiving his fourth star. In the near future, he will be replacing Gen. Michael W. Hagee who has served as CMC since January 13th, 2003.

Gen. Conway has most recently been serving as the Director of Operations, J-3, on the Joint Staff assisting the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace. He has served on the Joint Staff two other times in the past. In the 1980's he served two years as Senior Aide to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. In the 1990's, he was reassigned to the Joint Staff where he served as the Deputy Director of Operations J-3 for Combating Terrorism.

This is also not the first time that Conway has taken over command following Gen. Hagee. In November 2002, he replaced Gen. Hagee as the Commanding General of I MEF as Hagee prepared to take over as CMC.

His official biography is below:

General Conway was commissioned in 1970 as an infantry officer and served initially with the 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, Camp Pendleton, as a rifle platoon commander and as the Battalion's 106mm recoilless-rifle platoon commander. Subsequently, he served as a company commander in the Infantry Training Regiment; as Executive Officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63); at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego as a series and company commander in the Recruit Training Regiment, as the aide to the Commanding General, and as Director, Sea School.

After career level school in 1977, he reported to 3d Battalion, 2d Marines, 2d Marine Division where he commanded two companies and served in the Regiment's S-3. Posted to The Basic School he commanded two companies of officer students and taught tactics. Following intermediate level school, his next tour was as operations officer for the 31st MAU, where he spent 13 months at sea in WESTPAC and in contingency operations off Beirut, Lebanon.

Returning to CONUS in July 1984, he was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, and later served two years as Senior Aide to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Upon completion of top level school, he was reassigned to the 2d Marine Division serving as Division G-3 Operations Officer before assuming command of 3d Battalion, 2d Marines in January 1990. Under his command Battalion Landing Team 3/2 deployed to Southwest Asia for eight months for Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. Selected for colonel, he was assigned as the Ground Colonels' Monitor, HQMC. He assumed command of The Basic School on April 30, 1993 and in that role was selected for Brigadier General in December 1995. Re-assigned to the Joint Staff, he served as the Deputy Director of Operations J-3 for Combating Terrorism. He then served as the President, Marine Corps University at Quantico, VA. After being selected for promotion to Major General, he assumed command of the 1st Marine Division. In November of 2002 LtGen Conway was promoted to his current rank and assumed command of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. He commanded I MEF during two combat tours in Iraq.

His personal decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold stars in lieu of second and third awards, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

General Conway graduated with honors from The Basic School, the U.S. Army Infantry Officers' Advanced Course, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Air War College.