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After commanding rifle and weapons companies, studying at the Defense Intelligence College and completing a fellowship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he returned to Annapolis in 1988 to teach political science and train paratroopers as jump master of the academy.
In 1990, he earned the William P. Clements Award as military instructor of the year, and left to direct the Infantry Officer Course at the Basic School.
He would go on to serve in the Caribbean and the Balkans and, after his tour as commandant of midshipmen — and promotion to brigadier general — in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Allen succeeded Gen. David Petraeus as commander of U.S. Central Command in 2010 and as commander of the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan in 2011.
In Iraq, Allen won praise for ability to work with tribal leaders in the volatile al-Anbar province. He is credited with holding the mission in Afghanistan together amid several challenges. The burning of Korans by U.S. troops and images of Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters enraged Afghans, and attacks on international forces by the Afghan fighters they're supposed to be training have increased.
Admired by Republicans and Democrats, he was seen as a lock to win confirmation to head U.S. European Command until the FBI discovered the alleged emails to Kelley. Agents discovered the messages while investigating harassing emails to Kelley, allegedly from 40-year-old Paula Broadwell, Petraeus' biographer and reported mistress.
Petraeus, the architect of the surges in Iraq and Afghanistan, acknowledged an affair and resigned as director of the CIA last week.
Panetta has ordered the Defense Department's inspector general to investigate Allen based on communications the FBI has given to the Pentagon. But in his first public comments on the matter, he told reporters in Perth, Australia, Wednesday that "no one should leap to any conclusions here."
Panetta said Allen "certainly has my continued confidence to lead our forces and to continue the fight."
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
matthew.brown@baltsun.com
twitter.com/matthewhaybrown
Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts
In 1990, he earned the William P. Clements Award as military instructor of the year, and left to direct the Infantry Officer Course at the Basic School.
He would go on to serve in the Caribbean and the Balkans and, after his tour as commandant of midshipmen — and promotion to brigadier general — in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Allen succeeded Gen. David Petraeus as commander of U.S. Central Command in 2010 and as commander of the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan in 2011.
In Iraq, Allen won praise for ability to work with tribal leaders in the volatile al-Anbar province. He is credited with holding the mission in Afghanistan together amid several challenges. The burning of Korans by U.S. troops and images of Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters enraged Afghans, and attacks on international forces by the Afghan fighters they're supposed to be training have increased.
Admired by Republicans and Democrats, he was seen as a lock to win confirmation to head U.S. European Command until the FBI discovered the alleged emails to Kelley. Agents discovered the messages while investigating harassing emails to Kelley, allegedly from 40-year-old Paula Broadwell, Petraeus' biographer and reported mistress.
Petraeus, the architect of the surges in Iraq and Afghanistan, acknowledged an affair and resigned as director of the CIA last week.
Panetta has ordered the Defense Department's inspector general to investigate Allen based on communications the FBI has given to the Pentagon. But in his first public comments on the matter, he told reporters in Perth, Australia, Wednesday that "no one should leap to any conclusions here."
Panetta said Allen "certainly has my continued confidence to lead our forces and to continue the fight."
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
matthew.brown@baltsun.com
twitter.com/matthewhaybrown
Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts
