David Petraeus
Born 1952 · Age 73
Retired U.S. Army four-star general; commander of MNF‑I (the Iraq Surge), USCENTCOM, ISAF/USFOR‑A; Director of the CIA (2011–2012); scholar and private-sector partner/advisor since retirement.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
David Howell Petraeus was born to Miriam Sweet (Howell) and Sixtus Petraeus.
Graduated Cornwall Central High School
Completed high school in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY.
Completed Ranger School (Distinguished Honor Graduate)
Top graduate and winner of multiple Ranger School awards (William O. Darby Award among honors cited in later profiles).
Assigned to 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team (Vicenza, Italy)
Early infantry/light‑force assignment following commissioning.
Graduated United States Military Academy (West Point), B.S.
Graduated in top ~5% of the class (ranked 40th) and commissioned as an infantry second lieutenant.
Married Holly Knowlton
Married Holly Knowlton (daughter of West Point Superintendent William Knowlton) shortly after graduation.
Company command: A Company, 2-19 Infantry (Mechanized)
Commanded a company in the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Stewart.
Aide-de-camp to General John Galvin
Served as aide to the commanding general of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized).
Top graduate, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (Marshall Award)
Won the General George C. Marshall Award as the top graduate of the CGSC class of 1983 at Fort Leavenworth.
Assistant Professor of International Relations, West Point
Served on the faculty at the United States Military Academy (1985–1987).
Earned M.P.A., Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School
Completed Master of Public Administration while at Princeton.
Earned Ph.D. in International Relations & Economics, Princeton
Ph.D. dissertation: 'The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam: A Study of Military Influence and the Use of Force in the Post‑Vietnam Era'.
Operations officer, 30th Infantry Regiment (3rd Infantry Division)
Served as operations officer for the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) in 1988–1989.
Accidentally shot during live‑fire exercise; major surgery
Suffered an accidental M‑16 chest gunshot wound during training; operated on at Vanderbilt by Dr. Bill Frist and released after apparent rapid recovery.
Commanded 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment (Iron Rakkasans)
Commanded the battalion in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), 1991–1993.
Assistant Chief of Staff (G‑3), 101st Airborne Division; DPTM
Served as division assistant chief of staff for plans, operations, and training (1993–1994).
Chief of Operations, UN Mission in Haiti (Operation Uphold Democracy)
Served as the UN mission's chief operations officer during the Haiti mission.
Commanded 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (504th PIR)
Brigade command focused on airborne/air assault and low‑intensity operations (1995–1997).
Executive assistant to Joint Staff Director and Chairman, Joint Chiefs
Served in Pentagon staff roles (1997–1999), including as executive assistant to Chairman Gen. Henry Shelton.
Promoted to Brigadier General; Assistant Division Commander, 82nd Airborne
Returned to the 82nd Airborne in general officer roles; deployed to Kuwait (Operation Desert Spring).
Severe skydiving accident; broken pelvis
Civilian skydiving parachute collapse caused a hard landing and a broken pelvis.
Promoted to Major General (selected in 2001)
Selected for promotion to major general in 2001 and served in Bosnia (Operation Joint Forge) 2001–2002.
Commanded 101st Airborne Division in Iraq invasion
Led the 101st Airborne through the drive to Baghdad and occupation/pacification of Mosul after major combat operations.
Implemented commanders' discretionary funds for reconstruction
Advocated spending discretionary funds on public works in Iraq with quote 'Money is ammunition.'
Promoted to Lieutenant General; appointed first commander, MNSTC‑I
Named commander of the Multi‑National Security Transition Command – Iraq (June 2004) to train and equip Iraqi security forces.
Oversaw training/equipment of Iraqi Security Forces (~100,000 trained)
During ~15 months at MNSTC‑I, Petraeus helped train ~100,000 Iraqi Security Forces and oversaw a procurement/distribution effort costing over $11 billion.
Reopened University of Mosul (public works effort)
One of Petraeus's major reconstruction projects in Mosul was the restoration and re‑opening of the University of Mosul.
Published Washington Post article on progress building Iraqi security forces
Authored an op‑ed noting progress and the challenges of building Iraq's security institutions (Sept 2004).
Appointed Commanding General, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (Fort Leavenworth)
Oversaw CGSC, doctrine, training and the Army's center for lessons learned (late 2005 through Feb 2007).
Oversaw publication of Field Manual 3‑24, Counterinsurgency (FM 3‑24)
As CAC commander, Petraeus and Marine Lt. Gen. James Amos jointly oversaw the creation and publication of the Army's counterinsurgency doctrine (FM 3‑24).
Surge: additional U.S. troop levels (~+30,000) in Iraq
The surge added roughly 30,000 U.S. troops to the existing ~132,000 forces (part of Petraeus' campaign plan).
Public recognition: McLaughlin Group 'most honest person' nomination
Monica Crowley nominated Petraeus for McLaughlin Group's most honest person of the year for his realistic assessments (2007 Year‑End Awards mention).
Reconciled/engaged with Sunni insurgents (the Awakening)
Reportedly reconciled or convinced roughly 80,000–85,000 Sunni insurgents to support security initiatives and local policing efforts.
Nominated to command Multi‑National Force – Iraq (MNF‑I)
President George W. Bush nominated Petraeus to succeed Gen. George Casey to lead MNF‑I and implement the 'surge' strategy.
Confirmed as four‑star general and MNF‑I commander (unanimous)
Senate unanimously confirmed Petraeus as a four‑star general and commander of MNF‑I (nomination confirmed 27 January 2007).
Assumed command, Multi‑National Force – Iraq
Took command of MNF‑I on 10 February 2007 and implemented the 'surge' and population‑centric counterinsurgency approach.
Delivered Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq
Delivered the MNF‑I report and testified in September 2007; testimony emphasized progress but cautioned the gains were fragile.
Published 'Commander's Counterinsurgency Guidance' (Military Review)
Published guidance to help MNF‑I leaders incorporate counterinsurgency principles (appeared Sep/Oct 2008 Military Review).
Nominated to command U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)
Secretary of Defense Gates announced Bush would nominate Petraeus to lead USCENTCOM (announcement 23 April 2008).
Assumed command, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)
Took command of CENTCOM on 31 October 2008, overseeing military efforts across the Middle East and Central Asia.
Administered oath at son's commissioning (Stephen Petraeus), MIT graduate
Administered the oath of office at his son Stephen's commissioning into the Army after Stephen's graduation from MIT (photo cited 2009).
Nominated by President Obama to command ISAF and U.S. Forces‑Afghanistan
Obama nominated Petraeus to succeed Gen. Stanley McChrystal as commander of ISAF/USFOR‑A (23 June 2010).
Assumed command, International Security Assistance Force / U.S. Forces‑Afghanistan
Relieved temporary commander Lt. Gen. Sir Nick Parker and took over ISAF/USFOR‑A on 4 July 2010.
Confirmed unanimously as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (94–0)
U.S. Senate confirmed Petraeus 94–0 to lead the CIA on 30 June 2011.
Relinquished command of U.S. & NATO forces in Afghanistan
Relinquished operational command of ISAF/USFOR‑A on 18 July 2011 ahead of retirement.
Retired from the U.S. Army after 37 years
Retired from uniformed service on 31 August 2011 after a 37‑year Army career.
Sworn in as Director of the CIA
Assumed office as the 4th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (in office 6 Sept 2011 – 9 Nov 2012).
Resigned as CIA Director amid a discovered extramarital affair
Resigned on 9 November 2012 after an FBI probe uncovered an extramarital relationship with biographer Paula Broadwell.
Joined KKR as Partner; named Chairman, KKR Global Institute
Entered the private sector as a partner at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.; chairs KKR Global Institute and KKR Middle East.
Visiting Professor, Macaulay Honors College (CUNY)
Accepted a visiting professorship at Macaulay Honors College (dates cited 2013–2016 in profiles).
Public speaking and Academy of Achievement engagement
Spoke at Academy of Achievement events and served as an honoree/guest (multiple summit appearances e.g., 2012, 2014, 2017 referenced).
Sentenced: two years probation and fined $100,000
Received two years of probation and a $100,000 fine for unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.
Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count (mishandling classified information)
Ultimately pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge connected to classified material given to Broadwell; later sentenced to probation and a fine.
FBI/DOJ recommended felony charges (reported January 2015)
Officials reported FBI and DOJ prosecutors recommended felony charges for providing classified information to Paula Broadwell.
Judge Widney Professorship at USC (multi‑year faculty role)
Served as Judge Widney Professor at the University of Southern California for six years (dates cited in bios; exact start year varies across sources).
Continued public speaking (Academy, international forums)
Delivered addresses at international summits and was active as a speaker on strategy, leadership and geopolitics.
Presented Golden Plate Award (Academy of Achievement event)
Presented the Golden Plate Award to Ron Chernow at Academy of Achievement banquet in New York City (photo/citation in biography).
Kissinger Senior Fellow, Yale Jackson Institute; teaching international relations
Since 2022 Petraeus has taught courses at Yale University as a Kissinger Senior Fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs.
Co‑author of 'Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Gaza' (with Andrew Roberts)
Listed by KKR bio as co‑author of a New York Times bestselling book with historian Andrew Roberts (book cited in bio; publication date noted in KKR profile).
Recognitions & awards (career honors compiled)
Over career received four Defense Distinguished Service Medals, three Army Distinguished Service Medals, four Legions of Merit, Bronze Star with V device, NATO & foreign decorations; named among Time 100 (twice), U.S. News 25 Best Leaders, Foreign Policy top 100 public intellectuals.
Continues advisory, board and academic roles (KKR, Optiv, OneStream, Atlantic Council, etc.)
Serves as Partner at KKR, chairs KKR Global Institute, sits on multiple nonprofit and corporate boards, and holds senior fellow/academic appointments.
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