Patrick Frank

Patrick D. Frank is an American lieutenant general who has served as the deputy commander of the United States Central Command since 2026. He previously served as commanding general of United States Army Central from 2022 to 2026. He most recently served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Central Command from 2020 to 2022 and before that served as the Commanding General of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana, from 2018 to 2020.

Frank graduated from St. Bonaventure University's Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 1989 and was commissioned as an Infantry officer. He has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti. He commanded the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, during a deployment to Afghanistan.

Early life and education Frank earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from St. Bonaventure University in 1989. He later received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the United States Army War College.

Army career Frank attended St. Bonaventure University on an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps scholarship and was commissioned as an Infantry second lieutenant when he graduated in 1989. His first assignment was as a platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany from 1990 to 1993, with service in the Gulf War. He then attended the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, after which, from 1993 to 1999, Frank served at Fort Drum, New York, in several roles in the 174th Infantry Brigade and the 10th Mountain Division. He deployed to Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994 as a staff officer.

After completing the College of Naval Command and Staff, from 2000 to 2004 Frank was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, serving with the 101st Airborne Division as an S-3 officer at several levels. During that time he was deployed for and saw combat in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. From 2004 to 2005 he was aide-de-camp to the United States Secretary of the Army,

On 1 October 2025, he met with Lieutenant General Fahd al-Juhani, the commander of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, to discuss bilateral military cooperation. The U.S. government also appointed Frank as the military head for a Civil-Military Coordination Center later that month, working to implement the Gaza peace plan and get humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

He was nominated to become deputy commander of the United States Central Command, with the grade of lieutenant general, in December 2025. Frank has directed the defense against Iranian missiles and drones during the Iran conflict that began on 28 February 2026.

Dates of promotion + Rank Branch Date Second lieutenantArmy 1989 Brigadier general 2 December 2015 Major general 30 September 2020 Lieutenant general 7 July 2022

Personal life He is married to Jennifer, an attorney from Sackets Harbor, New York.