James L. Terry

James L. Terry (born May 14, 1957) is a retired lieutenant general of the United States Army. Terry has commanded at multiple levels across the Army. Terry's last assignment was as the commanding general of United States Army Central, retiring 17 November 2015. Terry served as the last commander of V Corps before its inactivation in 2013. While commanding V Corps, he concurrently served as Commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC), and as deputy commander of United States Forces Afghanistan. He was the Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from 2009 to 2011.

Terry has served in a wide variety of assignments, to include rifle platoon leader, company executive officer, and anti-tank platoon leader while stationed with the 1–15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division in Kitzingen, Germany; S-4 (logistics) and S-3 (operations) for the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; assistant professor of military science and the assistant commandant of cadets at North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Georgia; battalion executive officer for the United Nations Command Security Force Battalion, the Joint Security Area, in Panmunjom, Korea; deputy G3 and brigade executive officer with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell; executive officer to the Inspector General of the Army; chief of initiatives and deputy commander of the Joint Warfighting Center, United States Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia; and operations officer for the Coalition Forces Land Component Command, Army Central Command, at Camp Doha in Kuwait.

In 2011, Terry was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal. On 12 September 2013, Terry was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General of Canada. Terry was presented this honor for his leadership of Regional Command South from November 2010 to October 2011. He is credited with supporting Canadian forces and promoting the importance of their mission in Afghanistan.

From 2009 to 2011, Terry was commander of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). In October 2010, the division headquarters was designated as Combined Joint Task Force – 10, responsible for the command and control of coalition military forces in RC-South, which encompasses five of Afghanistan’s southern provinces. Terry assumed command of RC-South from outgoing commander Major General Nick Carter in November 2010. On 1 October 2011, command of RC-South was transferred to Major General James L. Huggins, the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division.

On 3 August 2011, the Department of Defense announced the nomination of Terry to the rank of lieutenant general and for command of V Corps, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army. On 5 November 2011, Terry handed over command of the 10th Mountain Division to its new commander Major General Mark A. Milley. Terry assumed command of V Corps in Wiesbaden, Germany on 10 January 2012. In May 2012, V Corps deployed to Afghanistan to serve as the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC) for a period of one year. Terry continued to command V Corps while also serving as commander of IJC, and as deputy commander of United States Forces Afghanistan. Terry formally assumed command of IJC from Lieutenant General Curtis Scaparrotti on 12 June 2012.

Terry then assumed duties as the Assistant Division Commander for Operations, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), in August 2004. From January 2006 to February 2007, he deployed with the unit in support of the War in Afghanistan as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations) for the Combined Joint Task Force 76 in Afghanistan.

In 1981 Terry commanded A Company of the 2–327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell. He took command of the 2–22nd Infantry Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), at Fort Drum, New York, in June 1994. During this command, he deployed with the battalion to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. From April 1998 until July 2000, Terry commanded the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light Infantry), at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. After this assignment, he commanded the operations group of the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Terry was born in Chatsworth, Georgia, on May 14, 1957. In 1978, he graduated from North Georgia College (now known as University of North Georgia) and, through Reserve Officers' Training Corps, was commissioned into the Infantry of the United States Army.