COVER STORY: GENERAL MICHAEL E. LANGLEY
Saluting General Michael E. Langley First Black Four-Star General of the U.S. Marine Corps
By Dr. Samuel Odom
M ichael E. Langley, U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General, was promoted to the rank of General in a ceremony on August 6, 2022, becom- ing the first African American four-star general in the military branch’s 246-year history. Historic milestones are filled with nar- ratives, traditions and tributes and this significant milestone was hosted by General David H. Berger, 38 th Comman- dant of the United States Marine Corps, at the official residence of the Com- mandants, Marine Barracks Washington, District of Columbia. After the ceremony, Brother General Langley became the 6 th Commanding General of the United States Africa Command, which oversees the Nation’s military presence in Africa, in a Change of Command ceremony at its head- quarters on Monday, August 8, 2022. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, U.S. Africa Command is one of seven joint-service geographic combatant commands. It is responsible for all U. S. military operations and activities to pro- tect and advance U.S. national interests in Africa. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Langley graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and was commis- sioned in 1985. He was initiated in the Spring 1982 at the Iota Alpha of Kappa Alpha Psi. Since then, he commanded at every level from platoon to the regiment – including Battery K, 5 th Battalion, 11th Marines, in support of Operation Wild- fire in the Western U.S.; Battalion and regimental commands in 12 th Marines forward deployed in Okinawa, Japan; and both the 201 st Regional Corps Ad- visory Command-Central and Regional Support Command – Southwest in sup-
port of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. As a general officer, his command as- signments include Deputy Command- ing General, II Marine Expeditionary Force and Commanding General, 2 nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade; Com- mander, Marine Forces Europe and Af- rica; and Deputy Commanding General, culminating as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic; and Deputy Commander, culminating as Commanding General, Marine Forces Command and Marine Forces Northern Command. Langley’s staff and joint assignments include serving as a division officer for Marine Corps Institute, Marine Bar- racks 8 th and I; Deputy G-1, 1st Marine Division deployed in support of Opera- tion Restore Hope in Somalia; Naval Surface Fire Support Requirements Officer in the Expeditionary Warfare Division (N75) and Joint Integration Officer in the Surface Warfare Division (N76), Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Policy Action Officer in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff J-5; Iraq Desk Officer in
the Operations Directorate, Joint Staff J-3; Deputy Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Assessments Branch Head, Programs and Resources, Headquarters, Marine Corps; Assistant Division Commander of 3d Marine Division; Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Staff J-3; Assistant Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources, Headquarters, Marine Corps; and Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, J-5, U.S. Central Command. Langley’s formal military education includes U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School and College of Naval Command and Staff. He holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Master’s in National Security Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. After his promotion ceremony at Marine Barracks in Washington, DC, Brother General Langley noted that he was “humbled and honored for the oppor- tunity to take on the stewardship of command of AFRICOM” as a four-star general.
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