Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

 SMDC will have new commander soon

On July 2, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen announced that the President has nominated Lt. Gen. Edward G. Anderson III, current commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, or SMDC, for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as director, Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Anderson has been the commanding general of SMDC since Oct. 7, 1996.

On July 21, the Defense Secretary announced that the President has nominated Maj. Gen. John Costello for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the commanding general of SMDC. Costello is currently serving as commanding general, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, Fort Bliss, Texas, an assignment he has held since Aug. 1, 1995.

A native of Pottsville, Pa., Costello graduated from the Citadel in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In addition, he received a master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and a master of military arts and science degree from the Command and General Staff College and is a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security, JFK School of Government, Harvard University.

His military education includes the Air Defense Artillery Officers’ Advanced Course, the Armor Officers’ Advanced Course, the Command and General Staff College, the United States Army War College, and the Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course.

General Costello’s other key assignments include: director, Roles and Missions Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Headquarters, Department of the Army; assistant division commander-maneuver, 1^st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany; commanding general, 32d Army Air Defense Command, Darmstadt, Germany; chief of staff, 32d Army Air Defense Command; commander, 35^th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Wash.; chief, Materiel and Logistics Systems Division, Directorate of Combat Developments, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School, Fort Bliss, Texas, and commander, 2d Battalion, 59^th Air Defense Artillery, 1^st Armored Division, Schwabach, Germany.

General Costello also served as a force integration staff officer, Force Development/Requirements Directorate of DCSOPS, Headquarters, Department of the Army; deputy chief of staff, 9^th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; S-3, 9^th Infantry Division; assistant secretary to the General Staff, Headquarters, United States Army Europe and 7^th Army, Heidelberg, Germany; commander, Battery D, 1^st Battalion, 59^th Air Defense Artillery, 8^th Infantry Division, Wackernheim, Germany; and executive officer, and later as battery commander, Battery B, 3d Battalion (ABN), 4^th Air Defense Artillery, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. During a tour in Vietnam, he was assigned as a battalion advisor to the 4^th Air Defense Artillery Battalion (RVN) in Qui Nhon.

General Costello’s military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with two oak leaf clusters), the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with one oak leaf cluster), the Army Achievement Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Army General Staff Identification Badge, and the Gold Cross of Honor of the Federal Army Forces, Federal Republic of Germany.

He is married to the former Michele M. Vonnegut. They have two children, Patrick and Adrienne.