List of United States Army lieutenant generals from 2000 to 2009

2000–2009

Three-star positions, elevations and reductions

Several new joint duty positions eligible to be held to be held by an Army officer, in addition to existing Army officers, were created at the appointed grade of lieutenant general, or elevated to grade between 2000 and 2010. In particular, a multitude of new positions were created in support of the war in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, which began in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

• The commanding general of Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I) began as a three-star's billet under Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez until 2004, when it was elevated to four-star grade,^[67] with the newly established Multi-National Corps – Iraq and Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (dual-hatted as commander of NATO Training Mission – Iraq) replacing it as the tactical and training-support units of the campaign respectively. Both positions became deputy commanding generals of U.S. Forces – Iraq until the command's deactivation in 2011.
• The activations of Combined Forces Command – Afghanistan (CFC-A, later Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan), NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and ISAF Joint Command added three joint duty positions to the Afghanistan theater of operations between 2000 and 2010. Lieutenant Generals David W. Barno, Karl W. Eikenberry, William B. Caldwell IV, and David M. Rodriguez held these senior commands under the authority of the dual-hatted commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.

At least three joint duty positions within the Department of Defense were created or restored, with one leading a new Defense agency, the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization. Additionally, all deputy commanders in chief of the unified combatant commands would be retitled as deputy commanders, by order of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on 24 October 2002.^[68]

• The senior military assistant to the secretary of defense was briefly downgraded when one-star rear admiral Deborah A. Loewer was appointed to the post in 2000. Its prior status was restored when Vice Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani succeeded Loewer in 2001.
• The commander of Joint Special Operations Command became a three-star's billet upon being dual-hatted as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command - Forward in 2006. Major General Stanley A. McChrystal, the incumbent commander, was confirmed for promotion to lieutenant general in February of that year.^[69]
• The director of the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization, established to deal with improvised threats such as the improvised explosive device (IEDs), was an Army lieutenant general from 2007 to 2018, when it was downgraded to a two-star's billet. Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz was the first active duty officer to hold the directorship, succeeding retired general Montgomery C. Meigs.

Two new three-star Army commands were stood up between 2000 and 2010, and two Army major commands received new three-star positions. Additionally, all directorates of the Army Staff were redesignated in accordance with the Continental staff system in 2002, receiving the prefix "G".^[af]

• The commanding general of U.S. Army Accessions Command, established as a component of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command to provide oversight over initial military training, was active from 2002 to 2012.^[51] The first commanding general of USAAC, Lieutenant General Dennis D. Cavin and his successor, Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp Jr., were also dual-hatted as the deputy commanding general for initial entry/military training of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.
• The assistant chief of staff for installation management, established to advise on garrison and installation operations for effective integration with Army installations at the base level, was dual-hatted as the commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command in October 2016,^[70] which remained in place until 2015, when the two positions were separated. The incumbent assistant chief of staff, Lieutenant General Robert Wilson assumed the dual hat on 24 October 2006.^[70]
• The deputy commanding generals of U.S. Army Materiel Command and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command were dual-hatted as chiefs of staff of those commands beginning in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Major Generals Richard A. Hack and Anthony R. Jones, the former being the incumbent chief of staff of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, both received promotions to lieutenant general.^[71][72]

Several positions in the Army in charge of specialty branches and functional areas received elevations to three-star grade, either by statute or Army regulation.

• The Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 elevated the leaders of all service reserve and National Guard components to three-star grade under standard promotion authority.^[73][ag] Thus, the incumbent chief of Army Reserve, Major General Thomas J. Plewes,^[75] and the incumbent Army National Guard director, Major General Roger C. Schultz^[76] were both promoted to lieutenant general in June 2001.
• The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 elevated all judge advocates general of the service branches to three-star grade.^[77] Major General Scott C. Black, the incumbent judge advocate general of the Army, was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general in September 2008,^[78] and assumed the rank in December of the same year.

Senate confirmations

Military nominations are considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee. While it is rare for three-star or four-star nominations to face even token opposition in the Senate, nominations that do face opposition due to controversy surrounding the nominee in question are typically withdrawn. Nominations that are not withdrawn are allowed to expire without action at the end of the legislative session.

• The nomination of Major General Joseph J. Taluto to succeed Clyde A. Vaughn as director of the Army National Guard in 2010 was withdrawn^[79] due to public controversy and subsequent Senate inaction over his handling of the deaths of Phillip Esposito and Louis Allen.^[80][81]
• Major General Robert T. Clark's nomination to be commanding general of Fifth United States Army was twice delayed for an Armed Services committee vote due to concerns over Clark's inadequate response to the 1999 murder of Barry Winchell, a gay serviceman, when he was commander of Fort Campbell.^[82] Clark was eventually confirmed for promotion with the support of then-committee chairman John Warner after closed-session hearings were held.^[83][84]

Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office.

• For example, Major General John G. Rossi, who had been confirmed for promotion to lieutenant general^[85] and assignment as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in April 2016^[86] committed suicide two days before his scheduled promotion and assumption of command.^[87] As a result, the then incumbent commander of USASMDC, Lieutenant General David L. Mann, remained in command beyond statutory term limits until another nominee, Major General James H. Dickinson was confirmed by the Senate.^[88]
• Vice Admiral Scott A. Stearney assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces in May 2018.^[89] His death in December of the same year resulted in the speedy confirmation^[90] of Rear Admiral James J. Malloy in the same month for appointment to three-star rank as his replacement.^[91]