Paul W. Brier

Paul W. Brier is a retired United States Marine Corps major general. A combat veteran of the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars, he retired on 31 December 2016, completing 36 years of military service. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. A 2012 CAPSTONE Fellow at the National Defense University, he is a graduate of the Defense Resources Management Institute, Naval Postgraduate School; Air War College; Joint Forces Staff College; and Marine Corps Command and Staff College.

Major General

Paul W. Brier
MajGen Paul W. Brier, USMC, in 2015
BornFt. Ord, Monterey, California, United States
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1981–2016
RankMajor General
Commands heldU.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa
4th Marine Division
3rd Battalion, 14th Marines
Battles/warsGulf War
  • Operation Desert Shield
  • Operation Desert Storm

Iraq War

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom

War in Afghanistan

Libyan Civil War

AwardsNavy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with Combat V (2)
Meritorious Service Medal
Spouse(s)Rhonda Johnston Brier

Military service

He attended the Virginia Military Institute on the four-year Navy ROTC Scholarship (Marine Option) program, graduating in 1981 with a BS in Civil Engineering. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. After completing The Basic School and the U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, his first operational assignment was with the 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade, 29 Palms, California.

In 1984 he transferred to the 12th Marine Corps District for duty as the Officer Selection Officer, Seattle.

While a captain, he served in the 4th Marine Division as Executive Officer, Company "B," 4th Tank Battalion in Yakama, Washington, and as Commanding Officer, Battery "H", 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines, Richmond, Virginia. During his command of Battery H, the unit mobilized and attached to 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), and conducted combat operations during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. [1][2]

Promoted to major in 1993, he joined the 4th Civil Affairs Group as a Civil Affairs Team Commander, were he supported the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and the U.S. Atlantic Command Joint Overseas Training Program in Jamaica and the Bahamas.

In 1996, Brier was assigned as the Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines, and deployed the battalion to northern Norway for NATO Exercises Strong Resolve 98.

Promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1998, he transferred to the II MEF Augmentation Command Element and served as II Marine Expeditionary Force Current Operations Fires Officer for a second winter deployment to Norway for NATO Exercise Battle Griffin 99.

In 2000, Brier assumed command of 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines.

In 2002, he transferred to the U.S. Joint Forces Command for duty as Chief, Civil Affairs Branch, Joint Warfighting Center.

Promoted to colonel in 2003, he served at the Pentagon as a Marine Corps Service Planner, Joint Staff Branch, where he assisted the Commandant of the Marine Corps in preparing for meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In July 2004, he graduated from the International Joint Operations Planning Course at HMS Dryad (Southwick Park, England).

In February 2005, Brier was selected to build and command the 6th Civil Affairs Group (6th CAG), a provisional unit commissioned for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 6th CAG provided civil affairs support for the 2d Marine Division and Multi-National Force West’s counterinsurgency operations in al-Anbar province during Operations Sayeed II, Steel Curtain, Liberity Express and Patriot Shield II and for two major national elections: the 15 Nov 2005 National Constitutional Referendum and the 15 December 2006 Parliament Elections.[3][4] [5]

In 2007, Brier was assigned as Chief of Staff, 2d Marine Division.

In 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan and served as Officer-in-Charge, US Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT) Coordination Element- Afghanistan; and MARCENT Liaison Officer to CJTF-101, Combined Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan, and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. He held this position until selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to redeploy to Guam to establishing a permanent Marine Liaison Office to coordinate issues involving the move of Marine personnel and facilities from Okinawa to the island. He assist the Governor of Guam in developing the island’s civil infrastructure plans to support an estimated thirty percent increase in population caused by the relocation. He reported to Guam in July 2008 and promoted to Brigadier General in 2009.[6][7]

As a Brigadier General, Brier commanded U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Sept 9, 2010. Monrovia, Liberia. United States Marine Brig. Gen. Paul W. Brier, Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Africa, shakes hand with a recently commissioned officer in the Armed Forces of Liberia. Brier visited Monrovia to gauge the progress of Operation ONWARD LIBERTY, a U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Defense initiative designed to continue the United States' support to the government of Liberia and the ongoing reform of its defense sector.


In 2011, he served at sea as the Deputy Commander of the Joint Force Maritime Component Command (Operation Odyssey Dawn), a naval task force which included the USS Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and conducted contingency operations in Libya and the Mediterranean Sea.[15] He was promoted to Major General in 2013 while serving as the Vice Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. [16] [17]

As a Major General, Brier served at the Pentagon as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, before taking command of the 20,000 Marines and sailors of the 4th Marine Division.[18] On July 16, 2015, Battery M, 3rd Battalion, 14 Marines, 4th Marine Division was attacked by a domestic terrorist in Chattanooga. [19] [20][21][22]

In 2016, he returned from his final tour in Afghanistan where he had served as the Deputy Commander for Civil Outreach and Director of the Advise and Assist Directorate for the 41-nation NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel).[23]

Awards and decorations
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal with valor device & 2nd award star
Meritorious Service Medal Combat Action Ribbon Joint Meritorious Unit Award Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with 3 service stars Selected Marine Corps Reserve with 7 service stars National Defense Service Medal with service star Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 service stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 service stars Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with service star Navy Arctic Service Ribbon Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbonwith service star Marine Corps Recruiting Service Ribbon
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass, "M" and numeral "4" devices NATO Medal Non-Article 5 for the ISAF and RS Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Expert Rifle Badge Expert Pistol Badge (several awards)
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
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References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Marine Corps document: "Commanding General, 4th Marine Division, Major General Paul Brier Biography".

  1. Cureton, Col. Charles H. "With the 1st Marine Division in Desert Shield and Desert Storm" (PDF). History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marne Corps, Washington, D.C. (1993). pp. 98 and 103. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  2. Moore, Molly (March 17, 1991). "Faces of War". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. Scraton, Sgt Ryan S.work=Press Release (September 21, 2005). "6th CAG Takes Over Civil Affairs Mission In Iraq". 2d Marine Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  4. Estes, Kenneth W. (2011). Into the Fray: U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005 (PDF). U.S. Marines in the Global War on Terrorism. United States Marine Corps History Division, Marine Corps University. pp. 131–134. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  5. Acosta, Jeffrey; Decker, Ray; Saunders, Greer (2007). "Field History: A History of the 6th Civil Affairs Group" (PDF). Fortitudine. Vol. 32 no. 4. United States Marine Corps History Division, Marine Corps University. p. 11. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  6. "DOD News Release Release No: 051-13 General Officer Nomination Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense (Defense.com. February 27, 2009. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  7. "111th Congress PN145 — Col. Paul W. Brier — Marine Corps - Nomination to Brig. Gen". U.S. Senate (senate.com. April 3, 2009. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  8. Davey, Cpl. Lydia M. (September 10, 2009). "MARFOREUR, MARFORAF Welcome New Commander". Press Release. Marine Corps Forces Europe & Africa, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  9. Vandiver, John (July 11, 2011). "AFRICOM Marine task force to help train militaries fighting al-Qaida-linked groups in Somalia, Maghreb region". stripes.com. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  10. Tiernan, Cpl. Cullen J. (September 16, 2010). "U.S. Marine Forces Africa Commander Visit Liberia, Gauges Progress of ONWARD LIBERTY Mentorship". AFRICOM.mil. United States Africa Command. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  11. "Commander, Marine Forces Command visits Republic of Georgia to see off the historic deployment of the 31st Light Infantry Battalion". www.eucom.mil/. United States European Command. Aug 26, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  12. Watson, Cpl. Michele (March 25, 2010). "Marine Forces Africa commander visits Africa Partnership Marines at Bundase Training Camp, Ghana" (PDF). www.cherrypoint.marines.mil/. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  13. "Obama Thanks Georgia for Afghan Deployment". civil.ge. Republic of Georgia. July 4, 2010. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  14. "Remarks by Brig. Gen. Paul Brier, Commander, Marine Forces Europe". June 26, 2010.
  15. Lobban, Jr., Richard A.; Dalton, Christopher H. (2014). Libya: History and Revolution. Praeger Security International. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-4408-2884-3.
  16. "DOD News Release Release No: 132-09, General Officer Nomination Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense (Defense.com. February 27, 2009. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  17. "113th Congress PN65 — Brig. Gen. Paul W. Brier — Marine Corps - Nomination to Maj. Gen". U.S. Senate (Senate.com. March 5, 2013. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  18. Esters, Sgt. Adwin (June 18, 2014). "Maj. Gen. Paul Brier takes command of 4th Marine Division". Press Release. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  19. Goldman, Adam (22 July 2015). "Chattanooga shooter methodically moved through naval reserve center". wasingtonpost.com. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  20. Fausset, Richard; Pérez-Peña, Richard; Apuzzo, Matt (July 22, 2015). "Slain Troops in Chattanooga Saved Lives Before Giving Their Own". The New York Times (nytimes.com). Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  21. Botelho, Greg (15 September 2015). "Chattanooga shootings: Gunman shot at after he rams gates, then kills 5". CNN (cnn.com). Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  22. Susman, Tina (July 22, 2015). "FBI treating Chattanooga shooter as 'home-grown' extremist who acted alone". Los Angeles Times (latimes.com). Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  23. "Getting Ready for Afghanistan". www.jftc.nato.int. NATO Joint Force Training Centre. October 18, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2018.


Military offices
Preceded by
MajGen Scott S. Hartsell		 Commanding General, 4th Marine Division
2014 – 2015		 Succeeded by
MajGen Paul K. Lebidine
Preceded by
MajGen Tracy L. Garrett		 Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe
2009 – 2010		 Succeeded by
LtGen Dennis J. Hejlik
Preceded by
MajGen Tracy L. Garrett		 Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa
2009 – 2011		 Succeeded by
LtGen John M. Paxton, Jr.
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