Major General Arnold Fields (Ret.)
Major General Arnold Fields (Ret.) is the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a position to which appointed by The President of the United States on 12 June 2008. He was sworn in on 22 July 2008 by the Deputy Secretary of Defense and reports directly to both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State. The SIGAR was mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 and formally reports to Congress each fiscal quarter. Among a number of tasks, SIGAR provides for the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations funded with amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
General Fields previously served as Deputy Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Department of Defense. Prior to the Africa Center, he served as a member of the U.S. Department of State assigned to the Embassy in Iraq where he performed duties as Chief of Staff of the Iraq Reconstruction and Management Office (IRMO). He assisted the U.S. Ambassador and Director of IRMO in coordinating the execution of over $18 billion dollars of U.S. appropriated funds for the reconstruction of Iraq. General Fields returned to the U.S. in October 2005 after serving 14 months in Iraq.
Major General Fields retired from the United States Marine Corps in January 2004 after over 34 years of active military service. At the time of his retirement, General Fields was serving as the Deputy Commander of Marine Corps Forces in Europe, headquartered at Stuttgart Germany. He traveled extensively throughout Europe and the African Continent during this period. Previous assignments included: Director of the Marine Corps Staff at Headquarters Marine Corps where he supported the Commandant of the Marine Corps in executive oversight of a defense force of over 250,000 personnel including active duty, reservist, and civilians; Commanding General of Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Commander U.S. Central Command's Forward Headquarters Element, with dual responsibilities as the Inspector General of U.S. Central Command which at that time was responsible for U.S. defense and security interests in the Horn of Africa and all of the Middle East and Southwest Asia; and Chief of the Evaluation and Analysis Division of the Plans and Interoperability Directorate (J-7) of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He commanded a training base at Camp Fuji Japan, working closely with senior leaders of Japan in support of U.S. strategic interests and common security needs and objectives. During Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, General Fields commanded a Marine infantry battalion in operations against the Iraqi Armed Forces. In 1986, he commanded a major unit of the Marine Security Guards who, under a long-standing relationship between the Marine Corps and the Department of State, provided security at U.S. embassies worldwide, including at least 24 U.S. embassies and consulates spanning 17 countries in North Africa and the Middle East. General Fields served as commander of the North Africa and Middle East component. He resided in Casablanca, Morocco, during this period and worked closely with the U.S. Consul General and Morocco country team. A former recruit trainer, Assistant Director of the Marine Corps Drill Instructor School at Parris Island, SC; and Regional Recruiting Station Commander, General Fields has extensive experience in personnel recruitment and training and in replenishing the defense establishment with high-quality men and women.
His personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster in lieu of second award; Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; and the Combat Action Ribbon. He was awarded the Department of State's Superior Honor Award for his service with the State Department in Baghdad, Iraq. General Fields enlisted into the Marine Corps in April of 1969 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in November of that year. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from South Carolina State University and a Master of Arts Degree in Human Resources Management from Pepperdine University. General Fields is also a graduate of the Army War College; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College; and the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School. In August 2007, the Secretary of the Navy appointed General Fields to a four-year term as member of the Board of Visitors, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia.
Major General Arnold Fields, USMC (ret) Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.