History of Mark Milley in Timeline
Mark Alexander Milley is a retired United States Army general. He served as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023. Prior to that role, he was the 39th chief of staff of the Army from 2015 to 2019. Throughout his career, Milley held various command and staff positions within eight divisions and special forces, marking a long and distinguished military career.
1924: Birth of Father
In 1924, Alexander Milley, Mark Milley's father, was born.
March 1943: Father Enlists in U.S. Navy
In March 1943, Alexander Milley, Mark Milley's father, enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a naval corpsman.
June 1958: Mark Milley's Birth
In June 1958, Mark Alexander Milley was born.
1976: Death of Paternal Grandfather
In 1976, Peter Milley, Mark Milley's paternal grandfather, passed away.
1980: Commission as Armor Officer
In 1980, Mark Milley earned his commission as an armor officer after graduating from Princeton University's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
1980: Graduation from Princeton
In 1980, Mark Milley graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics.
1996: Command in South Korea
From 1996 to 1998, Mark Milley commanded 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, in South Korea.
1998: Command in South Korea
From 1996 to 1998, Mark Milley commanded 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, in South Korea.
December 2003: Command of 2nd Brigade Combat Team
From December 2003 to July 2005, Mark Milley commanded 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light).
July 2005: Command of 2nd Brigade Combat Team
From December 2003 to July 2005, Mark Milley commanded 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light).
July 2007: Deputy Commanding General
From July 2007 to April 2008, Mark Milley served as deputy commanding general for operations of the 101st Airborne Division.
April 2008: Deputy Commanding General
From July 2007 to April 2008, Mark Milley served as deputy commanding general for operations of the 101st Airborne Division.
November 2011: Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division
From November 2011 to December 2012, Mark Milley served as commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division.
December 2012: Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division and III Corps Command
In December 2012, Mark Milley's tenure as commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division ended. From December 2012 to August 2014, Milley commanded III Corps, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
May 2013: Commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command
From May 2013 to February 2014, Mark Milley concurrently commanded the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.
February 2014: Commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command
From May 2013 to February 2014, Mark Milley concurrently commanded the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.
August 2014: Commanding General of the United States Army Forces Command
From August 2014 to August 2015, Mark Milley served as the commanding general of the United States Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
August 14, 2015: Appointment as Chief of Staff of the Army
On August 14, 2015, Mark Milley became the 39th chief of staff of the Army.
August 2015: End of Tenure as Commanding General of the United States Army Forces Command
In August 2015, Mark Milley's tenure as the commanding general of the United States Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina came to an end.
2015: Death of Father
In 2015, Alexander Milley, Mark Milley's father, passed away.
February 2017: Establishment of Security Force Assistance Brigades
In February 2017, the Army announced the establishment of Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs) in Fort Benning, permanent units with a core mission to conduct security cooperation activities and serve as a quick response to combatant commander requirements.
2017: Reestablishment of Meetings Between American and Russian Military Chiefs
In 2017, Joseph Dunford reestablished a series of meetings between the American and Russian military chiefs to ensure open communication and reduce the risks in conflict areas.
2017: Focus on Army Modernization
In 2017, Mark Milley focused on modernization efforts for the Army, including a new command to consolidate methods for delivering Army capabilities. He described areas targeted for modernization at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting, including tanks, aircraft and weapons, shifting to a SOCOM-like model of buy, try, decide and acquire.
2017: Consideration of "Pinks and Greens" Uniform
In early 2017, Mark Milley and then-Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey began considering bringing back the "Pinks and Greens" uniform to honor the "greatest generation" of soldiers.
October 2018: Reversal of Decision on Iraq War Study Publication
In October 2018, Mark Milley reversed his previous decisions and ordered the official publication of the Army's study on the 2003-2006 Iraq War, including a foreword from himself, after being confronted by a journalist from The Wall Street Journal.
November 11, 2018: Announcement of New Army Uniform
On November 11, 2018, the Army officially announced the roll out of the new "everyday business-wear uniform", indicating it would be cost-neutral for enlisted soldiers.
November 2018: Approval of "Pinks and Greens" Uniform Return
In November 2018, Secretary of the Army Esper approved the return of the iconic "pinks and greens" uniform, working with Mark Milley and Dailey on the initiative.
December 8, 2018: Nomination as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
On December 8, 2018, President Trump announced his nomination of Mark Milley to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
2018: Establishment of Army Futures Command
In 2018, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper and Mark Milley established Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas, to leverage academic and industrial expertise and conduct research furthering Army modernization priorities.
2018: Army Combat Fitness Test Roll Out
In 2018, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper and Mark Milley led the roll out of a new Army Combat Fitness Test designed to improve combat readiness.
May 2019: Commissioning of Climate Change Report
In May 2019, Mark Milley commissioned a U.S. Army War College report on the impact of climate change on society and the U.S. military.
July 2019: Confirmation by the Senate
In July 2019, Mark Milley was confirmed by the Senate as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
August 9, 2019: End of Term as Chief of Staff
On August 9, 2019, Mark Milley's tenure as the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army ended.
August 2019: Release of Climate Change Report
In August 2019, the U.S. Army War College released a report commissioned by Mark Milley, outlining the potential impacts of climate change on society and the U.S. military.
September 30, 2019: Start of Tenure as Chairman
From September 30, 2019, to September 30, 2023, Mark Milley was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
October 1, 2019: Milley Becomes Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
On October 1, 2019, Mark Milley became the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
December 16, 2019: Attendance at Battle of the Bulge Commemorations
On December 16, 2019, Mark Milley attended the 75th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
June 1, 2020: Walking with President Trump to St. John's Episcopal Church
On June 1, 2020, during the protests in Washington, D.C., Mark Milley, in combat uniform, walked with President Trump from the White House across Lafayette Square to St. John's Episcopal Church after protestors had been dispersed, which led to criticism.
October 2020: Scheduled Replacement of Army Fitness Test
The new Army Combat Fitness Test, designed to improve combat readiness, was set to replace the 40-year-old Army fitness test by October 2020.
October 30, 2020: Milley's Call to Chinese Counterpart
On October 30, 2020, four days before the U.S. presidential election, Milley reportedly called his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng, to assure him of the stability of the American government and that the U.S. had no intention of attacking China.
December 2020: Milley Meets with Taliban
In December 2020, Milley met with the Taliban in Doha to facilitate peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
2020: Hollyanne Haas Saves Veteran's Life
At the 2020 Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Milley's wife, Hollyanne Haas, administered CPR to a veteran who had collapsed, saving his life.
January 12, 2021: Joint Chiefs of Staff Issue Statement
On January 12, 2021, Milley and the Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement condemning the storming of the U.S. Capitol and reminding service members to uphold the Constitution and reject extremism.
January 15, 2021: Awareness of Troop Withdrawal Order
According to the book 'Peril', after the election, Milley became aware of a Trump military order to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by January 15, 2021, written without consulting national security officials.
June 2021: Report on Lost or Stolen Military Firearms
In June 2021, an Associated Press investigation revealed that at least 1,900 U.S. military firearms were lost or stolen in the last 10 years, with some used in violent crimes, leading Milley to express shock and consider systematic fixes, though some claimed he downplayed the report.
June 23, 2021: Milley Responds to "Woke" Characterization
On June 23, 2021, Milley responded to Congressman Matt Gaetz, finding it "offensive" that the U.S. military was being characterized as "woke" for including "critical race theory" in its West Point curriculum.
June 30, 2021: Trump Suggests Milley's Resignation
On June 30, 2021, Trump suggested that Milley should resign, implying Milley was unwilling to defend the U.S. military from leftist radicals. This followed Milley's defense of studying a broad range of ideas and reports of a shouting match between Milley and Trump.
July 2021: Publication of "I Alone Can Fix It"
In July 2021, the book "I Alone Can Fix It" by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig was published, detailing Milley's concerns about Trump potentially staging a coup and his discussions with deputies to thwart it.
July 21, 2021: Milley Reports Taliban Control
On July 21, 2021, Milley reported that half of all districts in Afghanistan were under Taliban control, and that momentum was "sort of" on the side of the Taliban.
August 15, 2021: Taliban Captures Kabul
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban captured Kabul, leading to an international airlift of civilians at Kabul International Airport.
August 2021: Calls for Resignations After Kabul Attack
In August 2021, following the suicide bombing at Kabul Airport, Republican senators and members of the House called for the resignation of President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary of State Blinken, Defense Secretary Austin, and Milley.
September 2021: Axios Report on Pentagon Concerns
According to a September 2021 Axios report, Pentagon officials worried in mid-2020 about China receiving faulty intelligence suggesting a possible U.S. strike against China.
September 2021: Publication of "Peril"
In September 2021, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa published their book, Peril, detailing Milley's concerns after the election, a Trump military order, and CIA director Gina Haspel's worries about a potential right-wing coup.
September 2021: Milley Testifies on Afghanistan Withdrawal
In late September 2021, Milley testified before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, characterizing the withdrawal from Afghanistan as "a logistical success but a strategic failure" and rejected calls for his resignation.
September 28, 2021: Milley Testifies Before Congress
On September 28, 2021, Milley testified before a congressional hearing, stating that his calls to his Chinese counterpart were coordinated with the staffs of Esper and Miller both before and after they were made.
2022: Publication of Resignation Letter Draft
In 2022, the draft of Milley's resignation letter to President Trump, which he considered but ultimately decided against submitting, was published.
September 2023: Trump's Threat on Truth Social
In September 2023, Trump posted on Truth Social that Milley's call to Chinese authorities was an act warranting death, prompting Milley to state he would take measures to ensure his and his family's safety.
September 29, 2023: Milley Relinquishes Office
On September 29, 2023, Milley ceremonially relinquished his office as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to General Charles Q. Brown Jr.
September 30, 2023: End of Term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
On September 30, 2023, Mark Milley's tenure as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ended.
February 2024: Milley Joins Georgetown and Princeton
In February 2024, Milley joined the faculties of Georgetown University and Princeton University, as well as becoming a senior adviser to JPMorgan Chase bank and joining the Harry Walker Agency.
October 25, 2024: Trump's Claims on Joe Rogan Podcast
On October 25, 2024, Donald Trump claimed on a podcast with Joe Rogan that Milley said "It's cheaper to leave it" regarding military equipment in Afghanistan.
November 5, 2024: Trump Reelected as President
On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump was reelected as president of the United States.
January 10, 2025: Unveiling of Official Portrait
On January 10, 2025, Mark Milley's official portrait was unveiled at the Pentagon.
January 20, 2025: Pardon and Removal of Portrait
On January 20, 2025, President Joe Biden pardoned Mark Milley from potential future prosecution just hours before he left office, and his portrait was removed soon after President Trump's inauguration later that day.
June 2025: End of Princeton Appointment
Milley's appointment as the Charles and Marie Robertson visiting professor and lecturer at Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) is scheduled to end in June 2025.
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