John Broadmeadow retired from the Marine Corps in October 2020 as a three-star general with nearly forty years of progressive leadership experience in a variety of positions. He successfully led large, diverse organizations across the globe, in combat and during periods of significant change. He now leverages extensive experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, and corporate change management by consulting in the private sector and with various government organizations.
Broadmeadow’s final Marine Corps assignment was as the Director of the Marine Corps Staff in the Pentagon. In addition to leading Headquarters Marine Corps’ response to COVID-19, he integrated the actions of seven three-star Deputy Commandants executing a Marine Corps-wide change management effort to implement the Commandant’s Planning Guidance.
In his first three-star job he was assigned as the Deputy Commander of the United States Transportation Command, proudly serving with the more than 140,000 service members and civilians from across all the Armed Services providing globally integrated air, sea, and surface transportation for all personnel and cargo in the U.S. Department of Defense.
Broadmeadow’s career includes several notable accomplishments in expeditionary operations. He led the logistics planning and execution for the Marines’ initial amphibious assault into Afghanistan in 2001 immediately following the attacks of 9/11. He then served multiple tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, including as the lead advisor to the 7th Iraqi Infantry Division in 2009 and culminating with leading the drawdown and retrograde of equipment from Helmand Province in 2013. He’s also experienced with Humanitarian Operations, having led forces in both Somalia for Operation Restore Hope and in Japan following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant damage that devastated the coast north of Tokyo. As a General Officer, he commanded a Marine Expeditionary Brigade and both the Marine Corps Logistics Command and Marine Corps Installations Command, each having multi-billion-dollar portfolios.
After his Marine Corps retirement, Broadmeadow was asked to sit as a Panel Member for the Department of the Navy’s Strategic Review of Amphibious Operations and as an Executive Fellow for the Institute for Defense and Business. He is an Advisory Board Member for Crowley, a Senior Mentor for the Marine Corps’ MAGTF Staff Training Program, and a member of the Marine Corps Association Board of Directors.
Since May 1984, Broadmeadow has been very happily married to Karen (Rowe), also a NU ’83 graduate. Together they have remained active with their alma mater in various alumni clubs, reunion committees, and freshmen sendoffs. They are also longtime members of the Partridge Society. He has returned to speak on campus numerous times, including as the Joint Services’ Commissioning Official in 2018 and as the keynote speaker for Norwich’s Bicentennial Gala aboard the USS Intrepid in New York City. Broadmeadow is the highest-ranking Marine Officer to have graduated from Norwich and is honored to have received the Distinguished Alumni Award and have his name engraved on the Bicentennial Stairs. He has served on the Norwich University Board of Trustees since February 2022. Broadmeadow has a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College and a Master of Arts in Business Administration and Computer Resources Management from Webster University.
