Joseph Osterman

Joseph L. Osterman is a retired United States Marine lieutenant general who served as the commander of the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Joseph Osterman
Born	1960 (age 63–64) Edgewater, Maryland
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1982–2020
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	I Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Corps Special Operations Command Marine Corps Recruiting Command 25th Marine Regiment 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines
Battles / wars	Gulf War Somali Civil War War in Afghanistan Iraq War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal

Marine career

Osterman was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps as a second lieutenant through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Colorado in 1982.^[1] He graduated from The Basic School and the Infantry Officers Course, then received assignment as rifle platoon commander and 81 mm mortar platoon commander with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. He then served as executive officer of the Marine Detachment aboard USS Kennedy (CV 67), then as commanding officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Forrestal. He served as an operations officer with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines. As a lieutenant colonel, Osterman was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and participated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was followed by a joint tour as an instructor and as the chief of staff, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany, where he was responsible for training support to some 54 nations. Following his promotion to colonel, Osterman assumed command of the 25th Marine Regiment in 2004 and deployed to Iraq as an adviser to the Iraqi army. In June 2006 Osterman became director of the Expeditionary Warfare School, which was followed in 2008 by assignment as assistant division commander, 2nd Marine Division.^[2] In March 2010, he deployed to Afghanistan as commanding general, 1st Marine Division.

Osterman's joint assignments include the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Afghanistan, and as Instructor and Chief of Staff at the NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany. As a brigadier general, Osterman served as commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command from 2011 to 2012. As a major general, Osterman assumed command of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command in August 2014 to August 2016. Upon promotion to lieutenant general, Osterman served as Deputy Commander of the United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Osterman's final assignment before retirement was Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force from July 2018 to 31 July 2020.

Post-retirement

In June 2022, Osterman was among five senior Marine and Navy officers who were censured by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro for failing to prevent the July 2020 AAV sinking incident that killed eight marines and one navy sailor.^[3][4]

Awards and decorations

U.S. military decorations Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit with gold award star Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal with two gold award stars Navy Commendation Medal with gold award star Navy Achievement Medal with gold award star U.S. unit awards Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze campaign stars Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with three bronze campaign stars Navy E Ribbon U.S. service (campaign) medals and service and training ribbons National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with seven bronze campaign stars Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze campaign stars Marine Corps Recruiting Service Ribbon NATO Medal for service with the International Security Assistance Force (Afghanistan) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

U.S. badges, patches and tabs Army Parachutist Badge Rifle Expert Badge Pistol Sharpshooter Badge Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

References

1. "Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman > I Marine Expeditionary Force > I MEF Leaders". imef.marines.mil. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
2. "Lieutenant General Joseph L. Osterman" (PDF). docs.house.gov/. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-03. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
3. "SECNAV Issues Letters of Censure". U.S. Navy. Washington, D. C. 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
4. Fuentes, Gidget (2022-06-13). "SECNAV Censures Retired Marine General, Navy Officers Over 2020 Fatal AAV Sinking". USNI News. Retrieved 2022-06-15.

Military offices
Preceded by Mark A. Clark	Commanding General of the United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command 2014–2016	Succeeded by Carl E. Mundy III
Preceded by Sean A. Pybus	Deputy Commander of the United States Special Operations Command 2016–2018	Succeeded by Timothy G. Szymanski