Stephen M. Speakes
Lieutenant General Stephen M. Speakes was commissioned as an armor officer in 1974. He began his career with troop-leading assignments in the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Third Brigade, Third Infantry Division in Aschaffenburg Germany. He commanded the 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Bad Kissingen, and the 2d "Blackjack" Brigade in the First Cavalry Division, Ft Hood, Texas.
Lieutenant General Speakes' service also includes assignments on the Joint Staff with the START USUSSR nuclear negotiations team in J5 and as a War Planner in J7 and on the Army Staff with the Force Development Directorate. His Masters' Degree is in Government from Georgetown University, and he was a fellow at Harvard University's JFK School of Government. At Harvard, he co-authored a study of UN Peace Enforcement, "A Blue Helmet Combat Force." His senior level assignments include a tour in Europe beginning in 1997 as the V Corps G3 and Chief of Staff. From there he returned to the US to serve as the Deputy G3 at Forces Command before assignment as the Chief of Staff of III Corps and Fort Hood in August 2001. From August 2002 thru June 2003, Lieutenant General Speakes was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Ft Hood, Texas, deploying to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. In June 2003 Lieutenant General Speakes departed Tikrit, Iraq and reported to Kuwait for duty as the Deputy Commanding General, Third United States Army and Coalition Forces Land Component Command. While there he oversaw the deployment and redeployment of 250,000 Soldiers and Marines as the US executed the first Iraq force rotation. From August 2004 to December 2006, Lieutenant General Speakes served as the Director, Force Development, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8.
Lieutenant General Speakes assumed his current duties as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8 in December 2006. He has been married to Gigi for 28 years. They have two sons, Grant and Brennan, both proud graduates of Texas A&M, now officers in the US Army.
