The Von Braun Complex at Redstone Arsenal. (U.S. Army)
By Troy Turner
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced today that President Trump has nominated Army Maj. Gen. John L. Rafferty Jr. for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
Maj. Gen. John L. Rafferty Jr.
Rafferty currently serves as chief of staff, U.S. European Command, Germany. His promotion and appointment to Redstone awaits congressional approval.
Hegseth also announced the nomination of Army Lt. Gen. Christopher O. Mohan for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with promotion to commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal.
Lt. Gen. Christopher O. Mohan
Mohan already serves at Redstone as deputy commanding general/chief of staff of the command.
Mohan assumed duties as the deputy commanding general of the Materiel Command on Dec. 2, 2022. He is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Army’s logistics enterprise.
Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey assumed the current command of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense on Jan. 9, 2024.
Leadership of Army SMD often transitions every 2-4 years. Previous commander Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler retired after serving approximately four years in the position prior to Gainey.
The SMD role includes responsibility and leadership working with 2,600 military and civilian professionals in providing the joint force trained and equipped space and global ballistic missile defense forces; and space, missile defense and high-altitude capabilities.
The command serves as the Army Service Component Command to U.S. Space Command and U.S. Strategic Command, and for ground-based midcourse defense to U.S. Northern Command.
John L. Rafferty Jr. bio:
Rafferty enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1987, serving as an infantryman with the 8th Infantry Division before attending Longwood University where he was commissioned as a field artillery officer.
He was first assigned to 5th Battalion (ASSLT), 8th Field Artillery (FA) Regiment of the 18th FA Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Braff, North Carolina, where he served as a fire direction officer and platoon leader. He then served as the fire support office for B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Following the USMC Amphibious Warfare School at Quantico, Virginia, MG Rafferty was posted with the 1st Armored Division Artillery in Baumholder, Germany, as a staff officer before commanding B Battery, 1st Battalion, 94th FA (MLRS), and then Headquarters Battery 1st Armored Division Artillery. He returned to the 75th Ranger Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield where he deployed in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After attending the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, England, MG Rafferty was assigned to 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th ID at Fort Richardson, Alaska, where he served as the brigade fire support officer and brigade operations officer while deployed to Iraq. He was then assigned as an Army Liaison to the U.S. Congress in the Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison (OCLL) in Washington, D.C.
MG Rafferty was reassigned to Fort Bragg to command the 1StBattalion, 319thAirborne FA Regiment, 3rdBCT, 82nd Airborne Division before attending the U.S. Army War College where he completed the Advanced Strategic Art Program. He returned to OCLL as deputy chief of the House of Representatives division before deploying to Afghanistan, as the legislative advisor to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force/U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.
Upon redeployment, MG Rafferty assumed command of the 18th FA Brigade at Fort Bragg and deployed in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield. He was then the executive officer for the Director of the Army Staff. As a general officer, MG Rafferty served as director of the Long-Range Fires Cross Functional Team, Chief of U.S. Army Public Affairs, Commanding General of the 56th Multi-Domain Command before assuming the duties of Chief of Staff, U.S. European Command.
His education includes a Bachelor of Arts from Longwood University, a Master of Arts from King’s College London, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Lt. Gen. Christopher O. Mohan bio:
Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan assumed duties as the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command on 2 December 2022. In his role, he is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Army’s logistics enterprise.
He also serves as the Senior Commander of Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
Mohan is a native of Carthage, North Carolina. He commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1989 from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.
His military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic Course, the Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, the Naval College of Command and Staff and the Army War College. He holds a Master of Science in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and a Master’s Degree in Military Strategy from the Army War College.
Mohan’s former command assignments include Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Kaiserslautern, Germany; 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Bragg (known as Fort Liberty since 2023), North Carolina; Tooele Army Depot, Tooele, Utah; 80th Ordnance Battalion, 593d Sustainment Brigade, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Washington and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq; Alpha Forward Support Company (Airborne), U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM; and 664th Ordnance Company, 553d Corps Support Battalion, 64th Support Group (Corps), III Corps, Fort Hood (known as Fort Cavazos since 2023), Texas.
Other significant assignments include Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Logistics, U.S. Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal; Director, Strategic Logistics Integration (G-45/7), Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, U.S. Army; Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, U.S. Army; Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Joint Logistics Plans Officer, J-4, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg; Support Operations Office, Special Operations Support Command (Airborne), U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Mohan has deployed multiple times in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Mohan’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (2 OLC), Bronze Star Medal (3 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and Meritorious Unit Citation, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, German Parachutist Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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