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Anthony M. Henderson is a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps and is currently serving as the Deputy Director, Joint Strategic Planning (JSP), Joint Staff J-5.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1989, and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Southern University Law Center in 1994 with a view to become a staff judge advocate, but chose to join the combat arms.[1] As a line officer, he saw action in Iraq and as a battalion commander in Afghanistan, where he earned multiple awards, including the Bronze Star and Iraq Campaign Medal, for his actions in service during Operation Iraqi freedom. There, his marines credited him with keeping almost all of them alive in a victorious battle against the Taliban at Jugroom Fort, Helmand Province in 2008, and stories of his personal courage in the engagement became part of Marine lore.[2] His leadership prowess has also been reported at Entrepreneur magazine, by Jeremy Knauff, who served under his command.[3]
He was appointed commander of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2014. As of March 2021, he served as director of concepts and plans at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.[4]
In March 2021, the Marine Corps selected and confirmed Henderson for promotion to brigadier general, pending Senate confirmation.[5] The New York Times had previously reported that during the Trump administration, Henderson, who is African American, had been passed over for promotion thrice in favor of white men, despite a recommendation by Navy secretary Richard V. Spencer.
He was promoted to his current rank on July 1, 2021.[6]
On November 10, 2022, Henderson was cast as a key role in the Marine Corps' 247th birthday message, emphasizing confidence and lethality.[7]
Throughout his career, he has maintained a commitment, both on the battlefield and at home, to fellow service members though a combination of government and private sector programs, and peer support systems.[8] [9]
In April 2022, Henderson led a Marine unit in a NATO joint training exercise, named "Cold Response," with Italian, French, and Dutch troops in the Arctic as part of the military's continued preparation for combat in different environments.[10]