James F. Amos
General, U.S. Marine Corps

James F. Amos was born on 12 November 1946 in Wendell, ID. After graduating from the University of Idaho in 1970, as a member of the Naval Reserve Officers' Corps program, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Amos was designated a Naval Aviator in 1971 and has held a variety of operational and staff assignments since 1972. His operational assignments include tours with VMFA-212, VMFA-235, VMFA-232 and VMFA-122 where he flew the F-4 Phantom II. In 1985, then-Lieutenant Colonel Amos assumed Command of Marine Air Base Squadron 24. Transitioning to the F/A-18 Hornet, he assumed command of VMFA-312 and subsequently joined Carrier Air Wing Eight on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). In May 1996, Amos took command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 in Beaufort, SC. In August 2002, he assumed Command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and deployed with them to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Amos served as Commanding General of the II Marine Expeditionary Force from July 2004 to July 2006.

Amos's staff assignments include tours with MAG-15 and MAG-31; III Marine Amphibious Force; Training Squadron Seven; The Basic School; and the MAGTF Staff Training Program. Promoted to Brigadier General in 1998, he was assigned to NATO as Deputy Commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and as the U.S. Deputy Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Europe, at Naples, Italy. During this tour he commanded NATO's Kosovo Verification Coordination Center, and served as Chief of Staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil during the air campaign over Yugoslavia. Transferred in 2000 to the Pentagon, he was assigned as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation. Reassigned in December 2001, Amos served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations Department, Headquarters Marine Corps. From August 2006 to July 2008, Amos served as Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration.

Amos became the 31st Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on 3 July 2008. In June 2010, Amos was recommended for nomination by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to succeed James T. Conway as Commandant, while recommending Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. to fill his role as Assistant Commandant. He was formally nominated by President Barack Obama on 20 July, who interviewed him for the job on 17 June. He received support from the Senate Armed Services Committee during a confirmation hearing on 21 September and was confirmed shortly thereafter. On 22 October 2010, Conway turned the position over to Amos at a ceremony at Marine Barracks, Washington. This made Amos the first Naval Aviator to become Commandant; previously they had always been an infantry officer.

As Commandant, Amos opposed the repeal of the Defense Department's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexuals openly serving in the U.S. military. After President Obama signed the legislation setting the conditions for repeal, General Amos led the Department of Defense in carrying out the will of the nation's civilian leadership. Amos is a Christian.

Amos is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA and the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.

Medals, Awards & Badges

Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit w/ 1 Award Star
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 1 Service Star
National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 Service Stars
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal w/ 2 Service Stars
Iraq Campaign Medal w/ 1 Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 1 Silver Service Star
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 Service Star
NATO Medal for Yugoslavia w/ 1 Service Star Naval Aviator Badge
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

He also holds the Rifle Sharpshooter and 12 Expert Pistol Marksmanship Badges.