Theodore D. Martin Explained

Theodore D. Martin
Nickname:Ted
Birth Date:21 December 1960
Birth Place:Massachusetts, United States
Allegiance:United States
Branch:United States Army
Serviceyears:1983–2022
Rank:Lieutenant General
Commands:United States Army Combined Arms Center
United States Army Command and General Staff College
2nd Infantry Division
National Training Center
United States Army Armor School
1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
Battles:Iraq War
Awards:Army Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star Medal (3)

Theodore David Martin (born December 21, 1960) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army who last served as the commanding general of the United States Army Combined Arms Center, commandant of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and commanding general of Fort Leavenworth from May 2021 to October 2022.[1] Before that, he served as the Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff of United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).[2] [3] A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he previously served as its 73rd Commandant of Cadets.

Early life and education

Born in Massachusetts but a native of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Martin attended the United States Military Academy and commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1983.[4] [5] His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course (Cavalry Track), the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and the Naval College of Command and Staff. He also holds master's degrees in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and the United States Army War College, and a master's degree in business from Webster University.[6]

The Martin family's military heritage harkens back more than ten generations to 1776 when Private Daniel Martin enlisted in the 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment and fought the British during the American Revolution, including service at Valley Forge.

Martin was named for his uncle who served in the Korean War alongside his father, a conflict which has not officially ended, and rests on a ceasefire maintained by a combined division of U.S. and South Korean troops which Martin would later command from 2015 to July 2017.

Martin is married and has children.

Military career

Martin assumed duties as Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, March 5, 2018. In this role he has prioritized unit modernization for the battlefield of the future, including an emphasis on evasion of adversary electronic warfare systems, empowering units to "unplug and disappear" as a failsafe capability. He's also worked on a new leadership development program, pushing for greater trust and autonomy for lower leaders to act independently without layers of higher command approval, and emphasized a need for leaders to be well educated, ethically grounded, and of sound character. Previously he served in a variety of staff and leadership assignments including duty in:

Martin's successor as DCG of TRADOC was announced February 25, 2021, when Major General Maria Gervais was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and confirmed by the Senate.

Martin's successor as Commanding General of the United States Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth was announced 26 May 2022, when Major General Milford Beagle Jr. was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and confirmed by the Senate. The change of command occurred in October 2022.[11] [12]

Social media

Martin is known for maintaining an active presence on the social media site Twitter, noted for his approachability despite his senior rank and the military's ingrained conservatism.[13] [14] He often solicits public input from his followers on issues pertaining to Army policy and concerns of servicemembers, and argued to Newsweek that his "risky" humor helps correct misperceptions and humanize the relationship and understanding between superiors and subordinate.

Awards and decorations

Army Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Superior Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with one service star
Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 5
Order of National Security Merit, Cheonsu Medal (Republic of Korea)

References

|-|-|-|-

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin. 2021-05-31.
  2. Web site: Parsons. Dan. February 21, 2018. Leadership Changes Imminent At Army Training And Doctrine Command – Defense Daily. 2021-02-20. www.defensedaily.com.
  3. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin - General Officer Management Office.
  4. Web site: Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy. October 14, 1991. Association of Graduates, USMA.. Google Books.
  5. Web site: Daraskevich. Joe. Army major general from Jacksonville Beach spent last 2 years in North Korea's backyard in historic role. 2021-02-20. The Florida Times-Union. en.
  6. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin, Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command > U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command > Leadership Article View. www.tradoc.army.mil.
  7. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin (USA). General Officer Management Office . 9 August 2022.
  8. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin (USA) . General Officer Management Office . 10 August 2022.
  9. Web site: Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin (USA) . General Officer Management Office.
  10. LTG Martin: Leading Through Change. NatSecGirlSquad Podcast. PodBean. Feldman-Piltch. Maggie. July 20, 2020. February 19, 2021.
  11. Web site: 'ALWAYS FORWARD' Defense Department announces promotion, next assignment for senior commander of Fort Drum, 10th Mountain Division . Fort Drum . 10 August 2022.
  12. Web site: PN1903 — Maj. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr. — Army . Congress.gov . 10 August 2022.
  13. Web site: Jamali. Naveed. O'Connor. Tom. 2020-09-24. U.S. military, spies and allies fight fake news on social media with wit, humor. 2021-02-20. Newsweek. en.
  14. Web site: Britzky. Haley. 2020-07-22. Lt. Gen. Ted Martin, the deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, wants to send a message to the trolls.. 2021-02-20. Task & Purpose. en-US.