Maj. Gen. John L. Rafferty Jr, U.S. Army
Chief of Staff
Major General John 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.