Brigadier General
John R. Allen


Duties Principal Director for Asian and Pacific Affairs
International Security Affairs
Office of the Secretary of Defense

Brigadier General Allen currently serves as the Principal Director for Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Following commissioning, he attended The Basic School and was assigned to Second Battalion, 8th Marines where he served as a platoon and rifle company commander. His next tour took him to Marine Barracks 8th and I, Washington D.C. where he served at the Marine Corps Institute and as a ceremonial officer. Brigadier General Allen then attended and was the Distinguished Graduate of the Postgraduate Intelligence Program of the Defense Intelligence College. He would serve subsequently as the Marine Corps Fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), participating extensively in Center studies on force projection, terrorism, low intensity conflict and peace keeping. He was the first Marine Corps officer inducted as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Returning to the Fleet Marine Force in 1985, he commanded two infantry companies and served as the operations officer of Third Battalion, 4th Marines. During this period he commanded the first surface rubber boat raid company in the Marine Corps, and also received the Leftwich Leadership Trophy. In 1988, Brigadier General Allen returned to the Naval Academy where he taught in the Political Science Department. His course work centered on international organizations, regional politics, and intelligence. In 1990, he received the William P. Clements Award as military instructor of the year.

Brigadier General Allen reported to The Basic School as the Director of the Infantry Officer Course from 1990-1992 and was subsequently selected as a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow, serving as a special assistant on the staffs of the 30th Commandant and the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. He assumed command of Second Battalion, 4th Marines, subsequently designated as Second Battalion, 6th Marines. This unit served in Caribbean contingency operations in 1994 and in Balkans contingency operations in 1995-1996 as part of the Landing Force of the 6th Fleet.

Following battalion command, Brigadier General Allen reported as the Senior Aide de Camp to the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, ultimately serving as his Military Secretary. He commanded The Basic School from 1999 to 2001, when he was selected in April 2001 to return to the Naval Academy as the Deputy Commandant. Brigadier General Allen became the 79th Commandant of Midshipmen in January 2002, the first Marine Corps officer to serve in this position in the history of the Naval Academy.

Brigadier General Allen graduated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1976 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Analysis. He is a 1998 Distinguished Graduate of the National War College. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Government from Georgetown University, a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College, and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.

Brigadier General Allens' personal decorations include the Legion of Merit with three Gold Stars in lieu of four awards, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star in lieu of two awards, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three Gold Stars in lieu of four awards, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star in lieu of two awards.