John R. Vines Biography

Lieutenant General (Ret.) John R. Vines serves as a Senior Advisor at McChrystal Group, co-founded by John’s close colleague of almost 30 years, General Stanley McChrystal. At McChrystal Group, John advises and mentors senior executives at numerous multi-national companies on leadership, strategy, and team building.

John Vines retired from the United States Army in 2007 after 35 years of active service. He was in continuous command for his last six years of service, including as Commander of the US Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps and of Multi-National Corps – Iraq during one of the most violent periods of the US presence in Iraq. In this latter position, he commanded a coalition force consisting of 178,000 soldiers from 27 nations, and oversaw two elections that ratified the Iraqi constitution and selected the permanent government.

John commanded the Combined Joint Task Force 180 Afghanistan, where he commanded a task force of 10,000 US and coalition soldiers, deployed six reconstruction teams, and worked closely with the President of Afghanistan. He also served as the Senior Defense Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also commanded the 18,000-strong 82nd Airborne Division, and served as the Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation in Egypt.

Following retirement, John was a Department of Defense senior mentor to military commanders prior to deployment to combat zones. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest soldier in the US Army on airborne jump status, and was considered a role model and a mentor for younger officers due to his numerous combat commands and hands-on leadership style. At his retirement ceremony, he was given the accolade, “For the next twenty years, the combat arms commanders will look, act and lead like John Vines.”

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