Gary Harrell

DELTA FORCE COMMANDER

MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER * TRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATOR * SECURITY EXPERT

Major General Harrell officially retired as the Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command on 1 July 2008.  MG Harrell’s distinguished career spans:

• 82nd Airborne Division, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
• A member of the first multinational force to the Sinai Peninsula in Spring 1981
• Grenada
• 10th Special Forces Group (Abn.)
• 1st  SFOD-D, (Delta Force) Ft. Bragg, NC
• A Troop Commander during a hostage rescue
• Joint Special Operations Command
• DESERT SHIELD
• DESERT STORM
• C Squadron, 1st SFOD-D
• Somalia, UNOSOM II
• Ground Force Commander
• 1st SFOD-D  
• Joint Security Directorate, U.S. Central Command
• USCENTCOM Joint Inter-Agency Task Force
• Special Operations Command Central
• IRAQI FREEDOM
• Joint Task Force, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Response Force
• KASOTC

On 9 October 1993 he was severely wounded by enemy mortar fire and evacuated to the US where he began a long recovery process.  

MG Harrell is a graduate of the Airborne Course, Ranger Course, Special Forces Underwater Operations Course, Military Free Fall Course, Pathfinder School, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Operations Training Course, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal (with V-device and 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, as well as numerous service and campaign medals.  He has also earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Master Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, SCUBA Diver Badge, Special Forces Tab, and Ranger Tab.