General John F. Campbell (U.S. Army-Ret.) is a member of the Board of Directors of BAE Systems, Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of the defense, aerospace and security parent company, BAE Systems plc.
General Campbell was appointed to the Inc. Board in June 2016 for a three-year term. In this role, he brings extensive leadership experience from his distinguished, 37-year career as a U.S. Army commander with operational assignments in Germany, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States.
General Campbell was most recently the commander of the Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces—Afghanistan. Prior to this command assignment, he was appointed by the President of the United States to serve as the 34th Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.
WATCH: Gen. Campbell sworn in as Army vice chief of staff
General Campbell began his career as an infantry officer. After completing his assignments with U.S. Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany, and attending the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and Special Forces Qualification Course, he was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While assigned to Fort Bragg, he commanded Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha in the 5th Special Forces Group and rose through the ranks to lead an Infantry company in the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1994, he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, deploying in support of Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and in 1996, he took command of the 2d Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
During Operation Enduring Freedom, Campbell commanded 1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division in Afghanistan, and later served as the Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In between these assignments, he was Deputy Commanding General (Maneuver), 1st Cavalry Division and Multinational Division Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During his military career, General Campbell held a number of joint assignments in Washington, D.C., and duties spanning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan. He served as the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the Combined Joint Task Force 101 at the operational headquarters for Regional Command East in Afghanistan, and in July 2014, General Campbell was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces—Afghanistan. ISAF later transitioned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Resolute Support Mission.
General Campbell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. During his military service, General Campbell earned a number of individual and campaign awards and decorations to include the Defense Distinguished Service medal, three Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, as well as the Ranger and Special Forces Tabs.