Retired U.S. General Raymond Odierno, 67, who commanded U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq during the height of the war and culminated a 39-year military career by serving as Chief of Staff of the Army, passed away, his family announced on Saturday. "The general died after a brave battle with cancer. His death was not related to COVID," the family added in a statement. They also mentioned, "There are no further details to share at this time." Odierno died on Friday, and the family did not disclose the location of his passing, noting that funeral and burial details have yet to be determined.
A native of Rockaway, New Jersey, Odierno graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1976. He served in a wide range of roles within the Army and the Department of Defense, with multiple overseas assignments, including in Iraq, Germany, Albania, and Kuwait. As a three-star general, he served as the Deputy Commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, making him the primary military advisor to the Secretary of State.
Odierno had three tours in Iraq, culminating in two years as the Commander of U.S. Forces in Baghdad from 2008 to 2010. He was succeeded in this role by General Lloyd Austin, who is now the Secretary of Defense. Odierno also served as the commander of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq from 2006 to 2008. Upon retiring in 2015, he was succeeded as Chief of Staff of the Army by General Mark Milley, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
During a retirement ceremony, then-Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter described him as a leader whose perseverance and operational acumen instilled great confidence in civilian leaders. "His leadership presence calmed confusion, and his courage and compassion helped bear the burden of loss and sacrifice," Carter said.
Troops from his 4th Infantry Division were involved in the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in December 2003. This capture raised hopes of quelling the emerging insurgency, but in 2004, the insurgency gained greater momentum, leading to the deadly rise of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Three months ago, North Carolina State University announced that Odierno had joined its Board of Trustees. Throughout his military career, he earned a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University. He was the president of Odierno Associates, a consulting company based in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
