Charles H. Jacoby Jr. is the commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
General Jacoby hails from Detroit and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1978. His military education includes the Infantry Basic and Advanced courses, the Command and General Staff College, the School of Advanced Military Studies, and the National War College. He holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Michigan.
He served as commander of A Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada; as commander of 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; as commander of Joint Task Force-Bravo, U.S. Southern Command, Honduras and Operation Fuerte Apoyo (Strong Support) during Hurricane Mitch; as commanding general of the U.S. Army Alaska and deputy commander of the U.S. Alaskan Command; and as commanding general of I Corps, including a combat tour in Iraq serving as the commanding general of Multi-National Corps—Iraq. He most recently completed his tour as director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J5) and as senior member of the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Military Staff Committee for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
General Jacoby’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal (with one oak leaf cluster), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with five oak leaf clusters), the Joint Service Commendation Medal (with one oak leaf cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (with four oak leaf clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge.
He and his wife, Grace, have three sons: Charles (CJ), Victor, and Michael. CJ is a cadet at West Point (class of 2013).
