Francis L. Donovan is a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

who serves as the vice commander of the

United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States A ...

. He has served as the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division from 2020 to 2022. As a LtCol, Donovan served as Executive Officer of Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One ( Det One) from 16 April 2005 to 10 March 2006. He later served as the Assistant Commanding General,

Joint Special Operations Command The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equip ...

(JSOC). Prior to JSOC, Major General Donovan spent two years as the Commanding General of Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51 / 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade – known as Task Force 51/5. Donovan earned a B.A. degree in geography from

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its foundin ...

. He later received a Master of Military Studies degree from the

Marine Corps Command and Staff College Marine Corps University is a military education university system of the United States Marine Corps. It is part of the Naval University System and accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools t ...

and a Master of Strategic Studies degree the

U.S. Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a United States Army, U.S. Army staff college in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, with a Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Carlisle postal address, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle B ...

. After division command, he served as the director of Marine Corps Communication. In September 2022, Donovan was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as vice commander, U.S. Special Operations Command. He was confirmed 15 December 2022.

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* Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Towson University alumni Recipients of the Silver Star Marine Corps University alumni United States Army War College alumni Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Marine Corps generals Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal {{USMC-bio-stub