David Berger (general)

David Hilberry Berger (born December 21, 1959) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 38th commandant of the Marine Corps from 2019 to 2023.

Berger was born in Delaware and raised in Maryland. He graduated from Tulane University and was commissioned into United States Marine Corps in 1981. He served during Operation Desert Storm in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, and over the course of his career he was also deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Haiti, and to Iraq again. After becoming a general officer, he commanded I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

As Marine Commandant, he developed and began implementing Force Design 2030, a reform that is shifting the focus of the Marine Corps from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to preparing for the competition between the United States and China.

David Hilberry Berger was born on December 21, 1959 in Delaware. He is a native of Woodbine, Maryland. He graduated from Glenelg High School in 1977.

Berger holds a bachelor's of science degree in engineering from Tulane University, and two Master's degrees, one in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University, and the other in Military Studies.

Berger's formal military education includes several courses. These were the United States Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance School, Command and Staff College, and the School of Advanced Warfighting; the United States Army Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Ranger School, and Jumpmaster School; and the United States Navy Dive School.

Berger was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1981 through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) following graduation from Tulane University with a degree in engineering. He joined the ROTC program on the recommendation of his father to pay for college, and later decided to commission in the Marine Corps instead of the Navy. Berger chose the Marine option because he was impressed with the Marine instructors at the Naval ROTC.

As a lieutenant and captain, he served as rifle platoon commander in India Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division and later as a company commander and battalion operations officer in 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion during Operation Desert Storm. He also served as an officer selection officer in Roanoke, Virginia. As a field grade officer, Berger was an instructor at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One in Yuma, Arizona; instructor at III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Special Operations Training Group; and served on the Joint Staff as a policy planner in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, J-5. Berger commanded 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines from 2002 to 2004, deploying the battalion first to Okinawa, and later to Haiti in support of Operation Secure Tomorrow. As a colonel, Berger commanded Regimental Combat Team 8 in Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.