MG(R) Kurt Sonntag spent decades in the U.S. Army, culminating in the role of Commanding General for the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg, NC. Serving as the Executive Director, he provided senior leadership to a civilian and military support staff of more than 2,900 who train and educate U.S. Army Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations and Special Forces soldiers. He was responsible for an annual budget of nearly $200 million and a construction budget of $390 million
supporting seven different locations. He partnered with the National Defense University, the Naval Post Graduate School, the Joint Special Operations University and North Carolina colleges for graduate-level master’s degree programs to help students and faculty maintain knowledge, skills and attributes to remain competitive in today’s world, and oversaw modernization and development for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command enterprise consisting of more than 33,000 personnel located in 26 states and two other countries.

Prior to this, Kurt was Commanding General (Executive Director of Foreign Operations), Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, where he directed efforts of 4,500 U.S. military/civilian personnel to enhance partner nation capacity, promote regional security and stability, dissuade conflict and protect U.S. and coalition interests throughout East Africa. He managed an annual operating fund of $150 million and a military construction budget of more than $500 million.

As Commanding General (Executive Director) of Special Operations Command South in Homestead, FL, Kurt directed efforts of more than 1,000 U.S. military/civilian personnel to protect U.S. and coalition interests throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America. He managed an annual operating fund of more than $200 million and a military construction budget of more than $150 million. He assisted Central America partner nations in disrupting transnational organized crime and combating narco-terrorist organizations in the Andean region. He also has served as Deputy Commanding General (Senior Director of Operations) at Fort Bragg, NC; Chief of Staff (Senior Director of Operations) at Fort Bragg, NC; and Commander (Director of Foreign Operations) in Pakistan.

Kurt was a National Security Fellow at Harvard University. He earned a Master of Arts in National Security & Strategic Studies at the United States Naval War College, a Master of Arts in Military History at Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science at the United States Military Academy.