General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. is one of the most influential Marines of the modern era. Over more than four decades in uniform, he led Marines from the platoon level to the very top of the Corps, serving as the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps and then as the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking military officer in the United States. Along the way he led a Marine regiment into Iraq and commanded all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. For families of new Marines, his career shows how a young lieutenant can grow into a leader trusted with the entire U.S. military.
Quick Facts
- Final rank: General (four stars)
- Born: Boston, Massachusetts
- Commissioned: 1977, Marine Corps Reserve, upon graduation from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont
- Years of service: 1977 to 2019
- Education: Bachelor’s in political science, Saint Michael’s College; master’s in government, Georgetown University; master’s in international relations, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University; U.S. Army War College
- Key commands: 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines; 5th Marine Regiment; I Marine Expeditionary Force; International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan
- Top posts: 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps; 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Early Life and Commissioning
Dunford was born in Boston and graduated from Boston College High School. Dunford graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont in May 1977 with a degree in political science and was commissioned into the Marine Corps Reserve the same day.
Early Career
Dunford began as an infantry officer, serving as a platoon and company commander in the 1st Marine Division. He was then an aide to the commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force in Japan and worked in the officer assignment branch at Headquarters Marine Corps. He returned to the operating forces as a company commander in the 2nd Marine Division and served as operations officer of the 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company.
From 1988 to 1991 he was a Marine Officer Instructor at the College of the Holy Cross NROTC unit and at Officer Candidates School, helping prepare future Marine officers. He later served on the Commandant’s staff at Headquarters Marine Corps.
Battalion and Regimental Command
In the mid-1990s Dunford served as executive officer and then commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines at Camp Lejeune. After a tour as executive assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he took command of the 5th Marine Regiment, one of the most decorated regiments in the Marine Corps.
He led the 5th Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Regimental command in combat is one of the most demanding jobs in the Marine Corps, with responsibility for thousands of Marines and sailors.
General Officer Service
After regimental command, Dunford held a series of senior planning and operations jobs. He directed the Operations Division in the Plans, Policies, and Operations department at Headquarters Marine Corps and served as Vice Director for Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff. From 2009 to 2010 he commanded I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, California.
From 2010 to 2012 he served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, the second-highest position in the Corps. In February 2013 he took command of both U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, overseeing the transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces until August 2014.
Commandant and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
In October 2014 Dunford became the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps. His time as Commandant was short because he was quickly selected for an even larger role. On October 1, 2015, he became the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the principal military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. He was only the second Marine ever to hold that position.
Dunford served as Chairman for four years, working with two presidential administrations, and stepped down on September 30, 2019. He retired from the Marine Corps that fall after more than 42 years of service.
After the Marine Corps
Since retiring, Dunford has served on several corporate and nonprofit boards. He has chaired the board of the Semper Fi and America’s Fund, which supports wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families, and has served on the board of the Travis Manion Foundation. In 2026 he became chief executive officer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C., policy research organization.
Why Joseph F. Dunford Jr.’s Career Matters to Marine Families
Dunford’s story begins the same way many Marine stories do, with a young lieutenant leading a platoon. He did not attend a service academy, and he entered through the reserve. Yet steady performance, continued education, and years of leading Marines carried him to the highest military post in the nation. His career also shows how much the Corps values learning, since he earned two master’s degrees and attended the Army War College while serving. For parents, it is a reminder that the habits your Marine builds in the early years can shape a lifetime of service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What positions did Joseph F. Dunford Jr. hold at the top of the military?
He was the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2014 to 2015 and the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2015 to 2019. Before that he served as Assistant Commandant and commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
How did he become a Marine officer?
He received a commission in the Marine Corps Reserve when he graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont in 1977.
Which units did he command in combat?
He commanded the 5th Marine Regiment during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and later led U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force from 2013 to 2014.
Is he the only Marine to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs?
No. He was the second Marine to hold the position. General Peter Pace was the first.