Michael L. Oates

{{short description|United States Army general}} {{Infobox military person |name= Michael L. Oates |image= Army Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Lieutenant General Oates in 2009 |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date and age|1957|8|29}} |birth_place= West Germany |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= {{flag|United States}} |branch= {{army|United States}} |service_years= 1979–2011 |rank= Lieutenant General |service_number= |unit= |commands= Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization 10th Mountain Division 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment |battles= Gulf War Iraq War |awards= Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (3) |relations= |other_work= }} '''Michael Lee Oates'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.westpointaog.org/FindaGradDisplay?reid=23WJwfK1giaiOI3FByo5Ow%3d%3d&bbsys=0&bbrt=0 |title=Michael Lee Oates |website=West Point Association of Graduates |accessdate=November 23, 2020}}</ref> (born August 29, 1957)<ref name=register>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QqspAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Michael+Lee+Oates%22 |title=Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy |date=1989 |page=871 |publisher=Association of Graduates U.S.M.A. |location=West Point, New York |access-date=May 24, 2022}}</ref> is a retired United States Army lieutenant general from San Antonio, Texas. He was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1979.

==Military career== Oates was promoted to lieutenant general on 30 December 2009 and assumed duties as Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.

Oates was born in West Germany<ref name=register/> and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He is a 1975 graduate of TMI Episcopal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tmi-sa.org/tmi-experience/leadership/distinguished-alumni |title=Distinguished TMI Alumni |website=TMI Episcopal |accessdate=November 23, 2020}}</ref> His wife Barbara is from San Angelo, Texas and they have three daughters; Katherine, Elizabeth and Margaret.{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}} Oates’ previous assignment was as Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and Fort Drum and as Commanding General, Multi-National Division (SOUTH), in Iraq.

Oates was commissioned as an infantry officer following his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1979. His initial duty assignments included service with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas and the 2d Battalion, 187th Infantry (Airborne), Republic of Panama. Subsequent tactical assignments included service with the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and as Commander, 1st Battalion, 22d Infantry, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Oates later commanded the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from 1998 to 2000 and commanded the 10th Mountain Division (Light) from 2007 to 2009.

Oates' non-tactical assignments include service as an Infantry Assignments Officer; Current Operations Officer in the J3, Joint Staff; Executive Officer to Tom White, Secretary of the Army; and as Chief of Staff to Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, the Chief Operations Officer, Coalition Provisional Authority, Baghdad, Iraq.

Oates holds a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff College.

[[File:Andy Salmon Michael Oates Basra Handover.jpg|thumb|300px|right|British Major General Andy Salmon (left), Multi-National Division-Southeast commander, and Major General Michael L. Oates (right), MND-South commander, shake hands during the transfer of responsibility ceremony in Basra, Iraq]]

==Awards and decorations== {| |130px Combat Infantryman Badge |- |75px Ranger tab |- |70px Senior Parachutist Badge |- |80px Pathfinder Badge |- |80px Air Assault Badge |- |80px Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |- |75px Army Staff Identification Badge |- |70px 10th Mountain Division Combat Service Identification Badge |- |30px Unidentified foreign parachutist badge |- |50px 6 Overseas Service Bars |} {| |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Army Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}} Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Bronze Star ribbon|width=60}}14px14px Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Defense Meritorious Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px14px14px Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=60}} Meritorious Unit Commendation |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=60}} Southwest Asia Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}11px11px11px11px Iraq Campaign Medal with four campaign stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Korea Defense Service ribbon.svg|width=60}} Korea Defense Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Service Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=numeral|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Overseas Service Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=MFO_Medal_ribbon.png|width=60}} Multinational Force and Observers Medal |- |60px Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |- |60px Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Michael L. Oates}} * [http://1-22infantry.org/commanders/oatespers.htm Past commanders page, Michael L. Oates], 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry web site, accessed December 17, 2011

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before = Benjamin Freakley |title = Commander, 10th Mountain Division |years = 2007–2009|after = James L. Terry}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oates, Michael}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:TMI Episcopal alumni Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:Military personnel from San Antonio Category:United States Army Rangers Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:Naval War College alumni Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Army generals Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)