Jonathan P. Braga

Braga graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch in 1991.[5] His first assignment was rifle platoon leader with 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth Army in South Korea followed with service at 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California. He then attended Army Special Forces Qualification Course and served with the 7th Special Forces Group from 1995-2001 as Operational Detachment-A commander and Company Executive Commander. Braga volunteered for and completed a specialized selection course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta at Fort Bragg, NC. He would serve numerous leadership positions as squadron operations officer and troop commander with deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom till 2005.[2] Braga earned a master's degree from the Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College in 2006 and transferred to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Washington, DC. Braga returned to United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in 2008 and served as operations officer, Squadron Commander and Deputy Unit Commander.

His most recent assignments include: Army War College Special Operations Fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School, Garrison Commander of the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA from 2013-2015; Chief of Staff at Joint Special Operations Command from 2015-2017 and Director of Operations, Combined Joint Task Force—Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in Iraq. Braga assumed command as Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific on 27 July 2018.

Braga praised the collaboration with Kurdish troops on the ground.[4]

“I'm very impressed. These people stood up without any international support. [...] It’s the partnership we wished for, but never had, [...] I think the world owes them a debt of gratitude. They were the first to stand up against [ISIS].”

— Jonathan P. Braga, 30 March 2018[4]