Joshua Rudd
U.S. Army general officer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joshua M. Rudd (born c. 1971) is a United States Army general who has served as the director of the National Security Agency and commander of US Cyber Command since March 2026. He served as deputy commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from September 2024.[clarification needed][3] He previously served as the chief of staff of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from 2022 to 2024. He previously served as commander of Special Operations Command Pacific from 2020 to 2022.[4][5]
c. 1971 (age 54–55)
Joshua Rudd | |
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Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Nickname | Josh[1] |
| Born | Joshua Monroe Rudd[2] c. 1971 (age 54–55) California, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1993–present |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | United States Cyber Command National Security Agency Central Security Service Special Operations Command Pacific Joint Task Force National Capital Region Delta Force |
| Conflicts | War in Afghanistan Iraq War War against the Islamic State |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal (3) |
| Alma mater | Furman University |
Early life
Rudd was born in Southern California and raised in South Carolina.[6] His home town is Fort Mill, South Carolina.[1]
Military career
Rudd graduated from Furman University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1993 and earned his commission as a second lieutenant through ROTC. Rudd successfully completed Special Forces Assessment and Selection and later graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1999. Rudd completed numerous specialized courses including Army Ranger Course at Fort Benning, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster course in Yuma, Arizona, and Combat Diver Qualification Course at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida. Rudd has deployed in support of multiple combat operations including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rudd has served in various command and staff assignments including Chief Current Operations Joint Special Operations Command, J3 Forward Deployed Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Director Forward Deployed Operations Intelligence Fusion Cell, Commander JIATF-NCR, Commander of a Forward Deployed Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Deputy Commanding General 25th Infantry Division, Deputy Commanding General 1st Special Forces Command, Commander Special Operations Command Pacific, and Chief of Staff of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
Rudd holds a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.[6] He is a graduate of the Naval Command and Staff College, Infantry Officer Advanced Course and United States Army War College.[1]
In September 2024, Rudd was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as the deputy commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.[7][8]
In December 2025, Rudd was nominated for promotion to general and assignment as the commander of United States Cyber Command and the director of the National Security Agency.[9][10][11] On March 10th, 2026, he was confirmed for the positions in a 71-29 vote by the Senate.[12]
Awards and decorations
Rudd's awards and decorations include:[13]
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| Combat Infantryman Badge | |||||||||||
| Defense Superior Service Medal
with two oak leaf clusters |
Legion of Merit
with two oak leaf clusters | ||||||||||
| Bronze Star Medal
with two oak leaf clusters |
Defense Meritorious Service Medalwith two oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medalwith oak leaf cluster | |||||||||
| Army Commendation Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster | Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster | |||||||||
| National Defense Service Medal with star with Award numeral 3 |
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two stars |
Iraq Campaign Medal with four stars | |||||||||
| Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |||||||||
| Army Service Ribbon with star |
Army Overseas Service with Award numeral "3" |
NATO Medal Non-Article 5 | |||||||||
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Meritorious Unit Award | |||||||||
| Master Parachutist Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Special Diver Badge | |||||||||
| Special Forces Tab | Ranger Tab | ||||||||||
