Last American soldier to leave Afghanistan to command US Army Europe

A career special operations veteran who was featured in a hazy green, night vision photo as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan has been nominated to pin a fourth star and lead the U.S. Army in Europe.

Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue’s name was on a list of Pentagon-recommended general officer nominations released Nov. 15. If confirmed by the Senate, he could receive the promotion and take command in the coming weeks or months.

Following decades in the special operations community, Donahue took command of the Army Infantry School and its Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team in 2017. He then served as deputy director for special operations and counterterrorism for the Joint Chiefs of Staff before taking over in May 2019 as commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan.

Donahue left that post to command the 82nd Airborne Division in July 2020, then assumed command of XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, in March 2022, according to his official biography .

The XVIII Airborne Corps houses some of the most deployed operational units in the conventional Army, including the 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division and 3rd Infantry Division.

But despite those lofty leadership posts, the general public is likely most familiar with Donahue due to the Aug. 30, 2021 photograph. The picture, taken from the back of a C-17 plane on an airfield at Karzai International Airport, shows Donahue boarding the aircraft, in full combat kit, with his M4 carbine at his side.

Donahue’s career has been largely defined by the Global War on Terror, even as he was selected to lead the Army’s operational units into new fights against new and resurfaced adversaries.

Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue speaks at a 2023 retirement ceremony. (Pfc. Alexcia Rupert/Army)

The general began his career in the shadow of the Cold War, commissioning as a second lieutenant in the infantry in 1992 following his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, according to his official biography .

He first served as a platoon leader in Korea before assuming the same role with units at Fort Polk, Louisiana (now Fort Johnson), and Fort Benning, Georgia (now Fort Moore).

As young captain, Donahue was working with Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, then vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, when the attacks on 9/11 shook the United States.

Donahue subsequently went to Army Special Operations Command and would go on to complete 18 overseas deployments.

While with the command he served with the secretive 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force, and eventually commanded a Delta troop in Iraq and a Delta squadron in Afghanistan, Army Times previously reported.

“I have deployed to combat at every rank, from captain to two-star general,” Donahue said previously.

If confirmed, Donahue would take over the Army’s Europe-based assets and personnel during a critical time as the United States continues in its support of NATO allies and Ukraine through training and military equipment.

Donahue’s recommendation for promotion by the Pentagon came on a list that included 29 Army colonels, who were recommended for promotion to brigadier general, and Brig. Gen. Eugene Cox, who is recommended for promotion to major general.

Lt. Gen. Donahue’s staff did not provide a statement regarding the nomination.

Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War.

一位职业特种作战老兵，曾出现在一张朦胧的绿色夜视照片中，是最后一位离开阿富汗的美国士兵，他已被提名授予第四颗星，领导驻欧洲的美国陆军。

克里斯托弗·多纳休中将的名字出现在11月15日公布的五角大楼推荐的将军提名名单上。如果获得参议院确认，他可能在未来几周或几个月内获得晋升并上任。

在特种作战领域工作数十年后，多纳休于 2017 年接管了陆军步兵学校及其士兵杀伤力跨职能小组。之后，他担任参谋长联席会议特种作战和反恐副主任，并于 2019 年 5 月接任阿富汗特种作战联合特遣部队指挥官。

据其官方传记记载，多纳休于 2020 年 7 月离开该职位，指挥第 82 空降师，然后于 2022 年 3 月接管位于北卡罗来纳州自由堡的第十八空降军。

第十八空降军拥有陆军常规部队中一些部署次数最多的作战部队，包括第10山地师、第82空降师、第101空降师和第3步兵师。

尽管身居要职，但公众对多纳休最熟悉的可能还是2021年8月30日的那张照片。这张照片是从卡尔扎伊国际机场一架C-17运输机的机舱后部拍摄的，照片中多纳休身着全套作战装备，M4卡宾枪放在身旁，正登上飞机。

多纳休的职业生涯很大程度上是由全球反恐战争定义的，即便他被选中领导陆军作战部队与新的和再次出现的敌人进行新的战斗。

克里斯托弗·多纳休中将在2023年的一次退役仪式上发表讲话。（陆军一等兵亚历克西娅·鲁珀特/摄）

据其官方传记记载，这位将军的职业生涯始于冷战的阴影下，1992 年从纽约西点军校毕业后，被任命为步兵少尉。

他最初在韩国担任排长，之后在路易斯安那州波尔克堡（现为约翰逊堡）和佐治亚州本宁堡（现为摩尔堡）的部队中担任同样的职务。

年轻的唐纳休上尉曾与时任参谋长联席会议副主席的空军上将理查德·迈尔斯共事，当时 9·11 袭击事件震惊了美国。

随后，多纳休加入了陆军特种作战司令部，并完成了 18 次海外部署。

据《陆军时报》此前报道，他在指挥部任职期间，曾加入秘密的第一特种部队作战分遣队-三角洲（又称三角洲部队），并最终指挥了驻伊拉克的三角洲部队和驻阿富汗的三角洲中队。

“我曾以从上尉到少将的各个军衔被派往战场作战，”多纳休此前曾表示。

如果得到确认，唐纳休将在美国继续通过训练和军事装备支持北约盟国和乌克兰的关键时期接管陆军在欧洲的资产和人员。

多纳休获得五角大楼晋升推荐，该推荐名单中还包括 29 名陆军上校（推荐晋升为准将）和尤金·考克斯准将（推荐晋升为少将）。

唐纳休中将的幕僚没有就提名发表声明。

自2004年以来，托德·索斯为多家出版物撰写有关犯罪、法院、政府和军事方面的文章，并因与人合著的关于恐吓证人的文章入围2014年普利策奖决赛。托德是参加过伊拉克战争的海军陆战队老兵。