Product Code Database
Michael Erik Kurilla (born 16 May 1966) is a retired United States Army general who served as the 15th commander of United States Central Command from 2022 to 2025. He previously served as the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps from 2019 to 2022 and before that as the chief of staff of Central Command from 2018 to 2019.
Kurilla was born in California and raised in Minnesota. He was commissioned in 1988 upon graduating from the United States Military Academy and has served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. During his career he has been deployed during conflicts in Panama, Haiti, the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and his notable commands have included the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. Kurilla was awarded two and the Bronze Star with valor during the Iraq War.
He was the assistant commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command from 2012 to 2014, deputy commanding general (maneuver) of 1st Infantry Division from 2014 to 2015, and deputy director for special operations and counter-terrorism of the Joint Staff from 2015 to 2016. He served as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division from 2016 to 2018 and Chief of Staff of U.S. Central Command from 2018 to 2019. He assumed command of the XVIII Airborne Corps in October 2019. In early 2022, he deployed to Germany to oversee U.S. troop deployments in response to the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.
In April 2024 he was dispatched to Israel in anticipation of an Iranian counter-attack following the 2024 Iranian consulate airstrike in Damascus by Israel on April 1, in which several Iranian military leaders were killed. In September he again visited Israel for consultations with defence minister
/ref>
As of November 2024, Kurilla was under investigation after shoving an airman upon being asked to take his seat and buckle up for his safety during a flight to Israel.
In early 2025, he was reportedly one of the two candidates considered by the second Trump administration to replace General Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but the position was given to Dan Caine.
On 10 June 2025, during the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on its nuclear program, Kurilla said at a congressional hearing that he prepared a "wide range" of military options for President Donald Trump if negotiations fail. Kurilla has called for a military response against Iran following the Iran–Israel war; his role in the conflict was considered to be unusually significant, with U.S. defence secretary Pete Hegseth seen as deferring to Kurilla during the conflict.
On 8 August 2025, he was succeeded by Brad Cooper as commander of U.S. Central Command.
| { class="wikitable" | |
| Personal decorations | |
| Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster | |
| Defense Superior Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters | |
| Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster | |
| Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and four oak leaf clusters | |
| Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster | |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal | |
| Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters | |
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | |
| Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters | |
| Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters | |
| Unit awards | |
| Army Presidential Unit Citation | |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award | |
| Valorous Unit Award | |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation | |
| Campaign and service medals | |
| National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | |
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device and service star | |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars | |
| Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars | |
| Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars | |
| Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with service star | |
| Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | |
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |
| Korea Defense Service Medal | |
| Service, training, and marksmanship awards | |
| Humanitarian Service Medal | |
| Army Service Ribbon | |
| Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 7 | |
| Foreign awards | |
| NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with service star | |
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | |
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | |
| Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Pakistan) | |
| Other accoutrements | |
| Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award) | |
| Ranger tab | |
| Master Parachutist Badge with one bronze jump star | |
| Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | |
| United States Central Command Badge | |
| 75th Ranger Regiment Combat Service Identification Badge | |
| French Parachutist Badge | |
| 75th Ranger Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
| 10 Overseas Service Bars | |
|-
|-
|-
|
|
