Maj. Gen. John M. Murray will be taking command of the 3rd Infantry Division later this summer, according to a June 10 release by the Chief of Staff of the Army.

When current 3rd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams returns in early August from a 12-month deployment as commander of Regional Command-South in Afghanistan, he will turn over the reins of the Marne Division to Murray.

According to biographical data provided by the U.S. Army Public Affairs Office, Murray has served since May 2012 as the director of Force Management for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C. Prior to his promotion to major general earlier that year, he was assigned as director of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis-Lessons Learned in Iraq.

Originally an infantry officer, Murray has served as deputy commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and as the First Team’s 3rd Brigade commander. He also has served in command and support assignments with the 1st Infantry Division in Germany and Iraq, as well as leadership assignments at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., Fort Carson, Colo., Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Irwin, Calif. and Fort Clayton, Panama. He has served three combat tours in Iraq.

A graduate of Ohio State University, Murray started his military career in 1982. Following completion of the infantry officer basic course, his first assignments were as a rifle platoon leader then as a scout platoon leader. He has since completed the infantry officer advance course, U.S. Army Command and Staff College and U.S. Army War College.

See full story in June 12 issue of Bryan County News