Major General Michael R. Lehnert currently serves as Commanding General, Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 Installations West.

He graduated from Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...

 in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree in history

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Platoon Leader Course program.

After attending the Marine Officers Basic School

Basic School

The Basic School is where all newly commissioned United States Marine Corps officers are sent to learn the art and science of being an Officer of Marines. TBS currently lasts 26 weeks. During those 26 weeks, the new officers are given extensive classroom, field, and practical application training...

 in Quantico

Quantico, Virginia

- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...

, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

, he was transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. Assignments at Camp Lejeune included: engineer platoon commander and maintenance officer LSU-32 and S-4, H&S Battalion, 2nd FSSG.

Assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion

9th Engineer Support Battalion

The 9th Engineer Support Battalion is a general and direct engineering support unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan...

 in Okinawa, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, he served as Battalion Operations Officer and finished his tour as commander Company A, 9th Engineers.

In 1977, he was ordered to Marine Barracks, Subic Bay

Subic Bay

Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...

, Republic of the Philippines as the Operations Officer. In 1978, he took command of Company A, Marine Barracks, Subic Bay.

In 1979, he attended the U.S. Army Advanced Engineer School at Fort Belvoir

Fort Belvoir

Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations...

, Virginia. After graduation, he served as Executive Officer, USMC

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 Recruiting Station, San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

.

He was transferred to Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 in 1983 and held the following assignments from 1983 to 1986:
Company Commander, Company C, 1st Landing Support Battalion;
Commanding Officer, Combat Service Support Detachment 11;
Commanding Officer, Combat Service Support Detachment 16;
Executive Officer, MAU Service Support Group 17;
Landing Force Support Party Cdr, BSSG 7; and
MEF Engineer, First Marine Amphibious Force.

In 1987, he was selected for Armed Forces Staff College. After graduation, he was assigned to the United States Southern Command in the J-3 Operations Directorate as Chief, Central American Exercise Branch. During the Panama crisis

United States invasion of Panama

The United States Invasion of Panama, code-named Operation Just Cause, was the invasion of Panama by the United States in December 1989. It occurred during the administration of U.S. President George H. W...

, he participated in Operation Just Cause and Operation Promote Liberty.

He was reassigned in 1990 as Inspector-Instructor, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

. He was selected for top level school, and completed the Naval War College

Naval War College

The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...

 in 1993 with the award of a Master's degree

Master's degree

A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

.

In 1993, he was assigned to the Joint Warfighting Center

United States Joint Forces Command

United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno...

 in Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....

 where he served as the Chief of the Futures Branch, Doctrine Division.

In 1995, he reported to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...

 and participated in Operation Sea Signal

Operation Sea Signal

Operation Sea Signal was a United States Military humanitarian operation in the Caribbean in response to an influx of Cuban and Haitian migrants attempting to gain asylum in the United States. As a result, the migrants became refugees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The operation took place from...

, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

 as Commander, Joint Task Group Bulkeley, JTF 160. Where he commanded the security forces responsible for operation of Cuban and Haitian migrant camps.

He commanded Marine Wing Support Group 27 at Cherry Point

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...

, North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 from May 23, 1996 to May 28, 1998. He was reassigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 II MEF. In 1999, he deployed to Panama

Panama

Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...

 as the Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Panama to oversee the final turnover of the Canal

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...

 and the remaining military bases.

His first tour as a general officer was at Headquarters Marine Corps

Headquarters Marine Corps

Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...

, where he served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.

He took command of 2nd Force Service Support Group (FSSG) in July 2001 and in January 2002, he deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as Commander, Joint Task Force 160.
JTF 160's mission was to construct and operate the detention facilities for Taliban and Al Queda detainees. While in command of the detention facility, he endeavoured to ensure that the provisions of the Geneva Convention were applied, in the face of opposition from then defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, inviting the ICRC to visit and advise on conditions of detention, appointing a Muslim chaplain and creating an ethos of human decency. In 2003, he deployed with the 2d FSSG to the CENTCOM theater and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom

2003 invasion of Iraq

The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...

 as Commander, Marine Logistics Command. He then served as Chief of Staff,United States Southern Command, Miami, Florida. His most recent assignment was as Commanding General, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Awards

Decorations include:

Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...  w/ 1 oak leaf cluster Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...	Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...  w/ 1 award star Award star An award star is a decoration issued to personnel of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in lieu of multiple awards of the same award. An award star is very similar to an oak leaf cluster, which serves the same purpose in the United States Army and United States Air Force...	Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...  w/ 2 oak leaf clusters	Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...  w/ 1 award star	Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge The Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge is a U.S. Military badge presented to the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff upon appointment to position as either a Service Head, Vice Chairman, or Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The decoration is also authorized to staff and...
Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service...	Joint Meritorious Unit Award Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...  w/ 1 oak leaf cluster	Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...  w/ 1 service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...	Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...  w/ 2 service stars	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
Humanitarian Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...	Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Sea Service Ribbon A Sea Service Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the United States Army which recognizes those service members who have performed military duty while stationed on a vessel at sea....  w/ 2 service stars	Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...  w/ 1 service star	Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon Recruiting Service Ribbon The Recruiting Service Ribbon is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which is issued by every branch of service with the exception of the United States Army...